Child Sex Sting: 2 Lakewood Men In Custody, Prosecutors Say

LAKEWOOD, OH — Two Lakewood men were taken into custody as part of a four-day law enforcement operation called "Deja Vu."

Police and federal agents went undercover to identify and arrest people trying to engage in sexual activity with children. The Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force led the operation, which ran from May 19 to May 22.

“The success of our operations has indicated that these predators will stop at nothing to exploit our community’s most vulnerable – our children,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said. “We will continue to pursue them and bring them to justice.”

During a news conference this week, O'Malley revealed that 31 Northeast Ohioans were taken into custody during Operation Deja Vu. The defendants range in age from 20 to 80-years-old. Each defendant engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with undercover officers posing as children, O'Malley said.

The 31 suspects could face charges of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, importuning, compelling prostitution, carrying a concealed weapon, failure to comply and possessing criminal tools. Each case will be presented to a Cuyahoga County grand jury.

Suspects were identified on popular social media apps. Some of the defendants sent images of their genitals and offered to pay for sex during conversations with undercover officers, O'Malley said.

After speaking with undercover officers, suspects were told to meet at a vacant house in Cuyahoga County. When the suspects arrived, they were taken into custody by police, O'Malley said.

All of the suspects were taken to Cuyahoga County Jail. Some of the suspects had condoms, personal lubricant, guns, bullets, codeine tablets, bottles of champagne, cash and other items, O'Malley said.

Patch will release more information on the suspects when charges are officially filed against them.