Four alleged sexual predators who targeted children in Pierce County were
removed from the streets, thanks to a two-day operation involving the Washington State Patrol (WSP), and several partner agencies.

Operation Day Care was spearheaded by the WSP’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), an Internet Crimes Against Children Affiliate (ICAC). Similar to the 18 Net Nanny Operations which have netted a total of 292 arrests and rescued more than 31 children across the state since 2015, Operation Day Care was a condensed version with fewer officers over a shorter time period.

MECTF’s primary mission is to proactively target those persons involved in child abuse and child exploitation via the internet. “While the internet is a powerful tool for our nation, criminals using it to target our communities necessitates a need for proactive investigations by our troopers and law enforcement partners in order to combat these horrible crimes,” says WSP Chief John R. Batiste. He added, “This operation is aimed at protecting our vulnerable children and making communities safer.”

Captain Mike Edwards, Seattle Police Department, and the Washington State ICAC Task Force Commander stated, “The hard work by the dedicated professionals to locate and arrest individuals whose sole purpose was to cause harm to children is a testament to their commitment to diligently serve the public in their efforts to protect the children of our state. The Washington State ICAC Task Force (WA ICAC TF) is founded on these principles and we are privileged to have these dedicated public servants working on all of our behalf. The work does not end now that this operation is over but rather it encourages all members of the WA ICAC
TF to continue the extremely difficult but necessary work that is being done each and every day.”

Primary crimes investigated are:

RCW 9A.44.076 – Rape of a child in the second degree-attempt
RCW 9.68A.090 – Communication with a minor for immoral purposes

The names of the individuals arrested during the operation are:

S., Andrew J., 52, Seattle
D., Bruce F., 52, Tacoma
C-R., Joel F., 22, Bonney Lake
R., Cesar O., 34, Tacoma

The collaborative effort involving more than 30 dedicated law enforcement officers, agents, and staff led to the success of this operation. Those agencies involved include:

Seattle Police Department
Tacoma Police Department
Washington State Patrol
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Homeland Security Investigations
Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office

NOTE: The aims of MECTF are shared by many citizens who sometimes wish to support the efforts of the task force. It is a state law enforcement agency governed by RCW 13.60.110, and not designated as a 501 (c)(3) charity. All donations made to MECTF go directly to MECTF and are used explicitly in the identification and safe recovery of exploited children, the investigation of those exploiting children, and successful apprehension and prosecution thereof. Please consult with your tax professional or the Internal Revenue Service to determine if your donation is tax-exempt. To donate and support MECTF, please visit http:/www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/mectf/

The above is a press release from the WSP. The Auburn Examiner has not independently verified its contents and encourages our readers to personally verify any information they find may be overly biased or questionable. The publication of this press release does not indicate an endorsement of its content.