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Nearly 40 people arrested in undercover child trafficking bust

Tempe Police worked with several other police departments and federal offices to find the suspects on sites used those looking for illegal sex acts.
Credit: 12 News

TEMPE, Ariz. — Almost 40 people who are suspected of soliciting various sex acts with minors were arrested in an undercover operation by police, according to official documents. 

During the operation, undercover detectives placed ads on websites commonly used by suspects looking for illegal sex acts, according to documents from the Tempe Police Department.

The suspects, whose ages ranged from 20 to 64, were caught when they reportedly solicited and brokered deals for various sex acts, Tempe Police said

Called the 'Operation Behind the Mask," the setup focused on reducing the demand behind child sex crimes and human trafficking.

The Tempe Police Department partnered with the Phoenix Police Department, Mesa Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Attorney Generals Office for Operation Behind the Mask, authorities said.

The suspects' names and charges are as follows:

Jeromy Harris, 41
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor 

Charles Shumway, 33
Chandler PD
Luring, Attempted Sexual Conduct with a minor 

Yasir Al Obaidi , 26
Scottsdale PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Aggravated luring, attempted sex conduct with a minor. 

Mark Allen Bourdon, 57
Scottsdale PD
Luring, Attempted Sexual Conduct with a minor 

Jorge Jesus Martinez, 33
Scottsdale PD and Mesa PD
Luring, Attempted Sexual Conduct with a minor – two counts each 

Boopathiraja Kandasamy, 37
Scottsdale PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Luring, Attempted Sexual Conduct w/ minor 

Jesus Rodriguez Marquez, 52
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor 

Carl Thomas Jr, 63
Mesa PD
Luring, Attempted Sexual Conduct with a minor 

Kevin Lee Gilbreath, 41
Tempe PD
Luring, Attempted Sexual Conduct with a minor 

Bradley K. Johnson II, 48
Mesa PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor, Possession of Dangerous Drugs 

Mario Salgado Vela, 39
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor, Money Laundering 

Nathan Loftis, 39
Phoenix PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor 

Faizal Mohamad Yassin, 24
Scottsdale PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor 

Jacob Roshetko, 22
Scottsdale PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor 

Charles Parenti, 44
Chandler PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Money Laundering, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Zrone Lee Coker, 36
Mesa PD
Aggravated Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor, Possession of Dangerous Drugs. 

Walker Rockwell House, 26
Mesa PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor 

Kevin Carrasco, 21
Mesa PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor, Money Laundering 

Noah Alexander Cheesman-Barnes, 25
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted sex conduct with a minor. 

Rafael Ramirez, 21
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted sex conduct with a minor, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia 

John Quarles Sr, 50
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted sex conduct with a minor, luring a minor for sexual exploitation. 

David Allan Mills, 64
Phoenix PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor 

Patrick Henry Sanchez, 39
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Money Laundering, Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Marco Flores Villalobos, 45
Scottsdale PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Money Laundering, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

RELATED: 2 suspects arrested, accused of stealing vehicle after fatal crash

Angel Yepez Gonzalez, 48
Mesa PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor, Possession of Dangerous Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia 

Ramon Xavier Escobedo, 40
Mesa PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Money Laundering, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Jerard Harris, 33
Scottsdale PD
king, Attempted sex conduct with a minor 

Nicholas Brock Royals, 26
Chandler PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted Sex Conduct, Luring  

Matthew Scandin, 37
Scottsdale PD
Luring, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor  

Cirilo De Leon, 35
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Shayne Patrick Smyth, 38
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted Sex Conduct with a minor, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Alfonso Arispe, 22
Scottsdale PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Money Laundering, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Nicolas Drew Phipps, 41
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Attempted sex conduct with a minor 

David Ramos, 40
Mesa PD
Aggravated Luring of a Minor, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Kevin Lee Qualls, 51
Phoenix PD
Aggravated Luring of a Minor, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

David Green, 44
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Money Laundering, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Able Navarro, 20
Mesa PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Pandering, Attempted Sex Exploitation of Minor 

Jerald Ross Yonnie, 47
Phoenix PD
Child Sex Trafficking, Aggravated Luring of a Minor, Attempted Sex Conduct with a Minor 

Christopher Lehman, 39
Tempe PD
Luring of a Minor for Sexual Exploitation 

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