LONGVIEW, Wash., November 14, 2023—The Washington State Patrol announced the arrest of 15 individuals as a result of a multi-agency operation identifying those allegedly involved in the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The initial operation conducted in Longview during the end of October resulted in 11 arrests. An extension of that operation in Renton was conducted last Thursday, resulting in four additional arrests.
“I’m proud of the deputy prosecuting attorneys in my office who worked diligently to assist in this important operation to crack down on individuals who are online trying to victimize our youth,” said Cowlitz County Prosecutor Ryan Jurvakainen. “I was very impressed with the large-scale operation conducted by the Washington State Patrol, its partner agencies from throughout the state, and our local agencies that contributed resources including the Longview Police Department, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kelso Police Department.”
Dubbed “Operation Net Nanny,” this is the twenty-first operation spearheaded by the WSP’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) affiliate. Since the first operation in August 2015, MECTF has made a total of 322 arrests and removed more than 30 children from danger across the state because of law enforcement intervention.
“There is no greater cause than protecting the children of our community,” said WSP Chief John R. Batiste. “Proactive efforts such as these operations carried out by such a dedicated group of individuals have a ripple effect, protecting countless vulnerable and innocent victims.”
MECTF’s primary mission during the operation is to proactively target those persons involved in child abuse and child exploitation via the Internet. Primary crimes investigated are:
- RCW 9A.44.073 – Rape of a child in the first degree – Attempt
- RCW 9A.44.076 – Rape of a child in the second degree – Attempt
- RCW 9.68A.100 – Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor – Attempt
- RCW 9.68A.090 – Communication with a minor for immoral purposes
- RCW 9.68A.040 – Sexual Exploitation of a minor
- RCW 9.68A.070 – Possession of Depictions of Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
The October Net Nanny led to an additional operation conducted last Thursday in Renton.
“Our partnership with ICAC in safeguarding children from exploitation is a testament to our shared commitment to create a safer community,” said Renton Police Department Chief Jon Schuldt. “Together, we stand firm in our resolve to protect the most vulnerable among us, ensuring a future where every child can grow up free from harm.”
The names of the individuals taken into custody during the October operation in Longview include:
- Theodore Dodge, 53, Brewster
- Brandon Head, 26, JBLM
- Aaron Henderson, 31, Olympia
- Braxton Hood, 23, Longview
- Justin Gardner, 38, Olympia
- Nikolay Migorodskiy, 35, Kelso
- Robert Murray, 29, Lake Forest Park
- Pedro Romero-Rivera, 35, Rochester
- Travis Saban, 49, Vancouver
- Phillip Thomas, 43, Puyallup
- Oleem Tipikin, 30, Molalla, Ore.
The names of the four individuals taken into custody during the additional operation include:
- Alec Bagley, 31, Renton
- Christopher Doyle, 54, Burien
- Reinaldo Cuadrado Jr., 22, Seattle
- Christopher Johnson, 34, Seattle
Anyone with information related to the suspects listed, or information leading to the identity of victims potentially involved in these cases, please contact METCF at mectf@wsp.wa.gov.
The collaborative effort involving more than 50 dedicated law enforcement officers, agents, and staff led to the success of this operation. Those agencies involved include:
- Cowlitz County Prosecutor’s Office
- Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office www.wsp.wa.gov
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Homeland Security Investigations
- King County Prosecutor’s Office
- Kelso Police Department
- Longview Police Department
- Othello Police Department
- Redmond Police Department
- Renton Police Department
- Seattle Police Department
- Spokane Police Department
- Tacoma Police Department
- United States Attorney’s Office
- Washington State Patrol
For additional information about MECTF, please visit https://www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/mectf/.
SOURCE: Washington State Patrol press release
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
