15 booked in child luring operation
Fifteen people were arrested by several local police departments after an undercover sex sting operation last week.
The men were accused of luring a minor with a computer to engage in sexual acts and soliciting a minor to engage in prostitution, according to a Wednesday statement from the Metropolitan Police Department.
The suspects were arrested on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 after trying to meet up online with an undercover officer posing as a minor.
Metro identified the men as Joshua Casillas, 48; Michael Perry, 68; Matthew Gallegos, 39; Tyler Lovitt, 31; Michael Rich, 41; Fernando Garcia, 26; Kareem Hollins, 23; Carlos Tobler, 24; Mark Griffith, 36; Daniel Gutierrez, 28; Clarence Redic, 20; James Huber, 48; Dylan Hill, 24; Nathan Urbauer, 38; and Bryan Aldana, 25.
“Parents are reminded to discuss with their children the dangers of online chats with strangers,” Metro said. “Children’s activity on social media and other online applications should be routinely monitored to prevent them from being victimized by a sex predator.”
Metro, Henderson and North Las Vegas police and the FBI participated in the sting.
All of the men had been released from custody as of Wednesday, except Rich, who was being held on $10,000 bail on a count of luring a child to engage in sexual acts.
Casillas, Lovitt, Hollins, Griffith, Redic, Huber, Hill, Urbauer and Aldana were all charged with one count of luring a child with a computer to engage in sexual conduct.
Tobler was booked on one count of sex trafficking and one count of pandering.
Court information for Perry, Gallegos, Garcia and Gutierrez was not available.
Further details on the arrests were not immediately available.
Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.