Child Predator Sting Nets 16 Men In Houston Area

HOUSTON, TX — Social media was put to good use recently by law enforcement officials across the Houston area, who this week announced the arrest of 16 men on various charges including attempted sexual assault and online solicitation of a minor.

According to a statement, the operation, which lasted for two months, was carried out by the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, which included officers from the Sugar Land Police Department, the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, the Rosenberg Police Department, the Katy ISD Police Department, the Houston Police Department, Harris County Constable Precinct 1, the Webster Police Department, the Katy Police Department, and the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations also took part.

Officers used social media to communicate with individuals seeking to engage in sexual contact with children; the men, thinking they were going to meet minors, were lured to locations and taken into custody.

The following suspects were arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison, and attempted sexual assault of a child, a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years:

• Alfonso Salinas, 23, of Houston
• Levi James, 36, of Louisiana
• Mario Lopez, 25, of Houston
• Juan Pena, 42, a registered sex offender from Houston
• Roydell Cleaver, 66, of Houston
• Quincy Milton, 25, of Richmond
• Dennis Pineda, 28, of Humble
• Jonathan Lucio, 30, of Rosenberg
• Raul Garcia, 20, of Wharton
• Adrian Botello, 19, of Houston
• Jacob Payne, 24, of Houston
• Justin Miles, 28, of Houston
• Michel Rodriguez, 27, of Cypress

In addition, the following men are facing child pornography-related charges:
• Brandon Brewster, 28, of Richmond
• Robert Haney, 48, of Houston
• Nathan Potter, 31, of Huntsville

Click here to see photographs of the arrested individuals.

— Image: Shutterstock