47°
Most of the defendants in "Operation Risky Business" were arrested at either the undercover residence in Hamilton Township or another meet-up location, including the Hamilton Train Station, New Jersey Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said.
Those who went to the undercover house allegedly expected to find their victims home alone. Instead, they were confronted by law enforcement officers prepared to arrest them and process any evidence seized, said Platkin alongside Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri.
According to Platkin, the following individuals were arrested:
- Laurentiu Tonea, 41, East Windsor, NJ. (Girl, 14) Tonea is an information technology worker in Edison, NJ. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted criminal sexual contact, attempted luring. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) is prosecuting.
- Richard Parsons, 42, Cumming, GA. (Girl, 14) Parsons is an injury lawyer. Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted criminal sexual contact. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Michael Kramer, 52, Philadelphia, PA. (Girl, 15) Kramer is a dump truck driver. Charges: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted sexual assault, attempted possession of child pornography, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Robert Franklin, Gloucester City, NJ. (Girl, 13) Charge: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Jesus Clavel Villa, 49, Trenton, NJ. (Girl, 14) Villa is a cook in Trenton. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child. The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) is prosecuting.
- Moises Cortes Diaz, 35, New Brunswick, NJ. (Girl, 13) Diaz is a self-employed painter. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. DCJ is prosecuting.
- Joseph Roman, 31, Denville, NJ. (Girl, 14) Roman is unemployed and a registered sex offender. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Emanuel Rodriguez, 25, Trenton, NJ. (Girl, 14) Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Gregory Barger, 37, Morrisville, PA. (Girl, 14) Barger is a self-employed painter and a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted kidnapping. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Justin Wann, 35, Paulsboro, NJ. (Girl, 14) Wann is a self-employed painter. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted kidnapping, attempted criminal sexual contact, attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Frank Duggan, 54, Bordentown, NJ. (Girl, 14) Duggan is unemployed. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. DCJ is prosecuting.
- Nestor Alonso Chappuis, 37, Hamilton, NJ. (Girl, 14) Chappuis is unemployed and a registered sex offender. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Evan Sluka, 27, Blakeslee, PA. (Girl, 14) Sluka is a chef in Stroudsburg, PA. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted criminal sexual contact. DCJ is prosecuting.
- James Hendryx, 26, Hamilton, NJ. (Boy, 14) Hendryx is unemployed. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Kyle Zang, 31, Stewartstown, PA. (Girl, 14) Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Justin Wann, 35, Paulsboro. (Girl, 14) Wann is a self-employed painter. Charges: Four counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting. This second case is based on an additional chat with another undercover officer.
- Christopher Baez, 36, New York, NY. (Girl, 14) Baez is a restaurant worker. Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Joseph Zekas, 49, Williamstown, NJ. (Girl, 13) Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted criminal sexual contact, attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Taylor Picillo, 29, Hamilton, NJ. (Boy, 14). Picillo is employed by a solar energy equipment supplier in Rocklin, CA. Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest. MCPO is prosecuting.
- William Oldham, 45, Williamstown, NJ. (Girl, 14) Oldham is a fence installer. Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Charles Amer, 50, Maple Shade, NJ. (Girl, 13) Amer is a warehouse laborer and a registered sex offender. Charges: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted luring. MCPO is prosecuting.
- Yohann Rigogne, 41, Philadelphia, PA. (Girl, 14) Rigogne is unemployed. Charge: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting.
“Operation Risky Business" was a multi-agency undercover operation targeting individuals using social medial in an attempt to lure underage girls and boys for sexual activity, authorities said.
“Operation Risky Business is a great example of how successful law enforcement agencies can be when they collaborate across all levels like they did here by proactively investigating and arresting predators who sought to sexually exploit children,” Pltkin said.
Prosecutor Onofri added: “Not in Mercer. Not our children. Not under my watch. That’s the message we are sending to sexual predators with collaborative efforts like Operation Risky Business. . .Social media sites have become hunting grounds for individuals looking to exploit children."
The operation was led by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit, the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Cyber Crimes Bureau, and the New Jersey State Police, in collaboration with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and additional federal, state and county law enforcement agencies listed below.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Edison and receive free news updates.
