{"id":2087478,"date":"2023-11-02T02:44:04","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T06:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/12-arrested-in-sacramento-county-child-pornography-sting\/"},"modified":"2023-11-02T02:48:46","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T06:48:46","slug":"12-arrested-in-sacramento-county-child-pornography-sting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/12-arrested-in-sacramento-county-child-pornography-sting\/","title":{"rendered":"12 individuals have been arrested in a child pornography operation in Sacramento County."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2F12-arrested-in-sacramento-county-child-pornography-sting%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2087478&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>A Dozen Men Arrested in Online Child Pornography Investigation in California<\/h2>\n<p>An\u2062 intensive two-week online child \u200dpornography investigation \u2063in the Sacramento\u2064 Valley region of California \u200dhas led to the apprehension of 12 men, according to an announcement made by \u200bthe Sacramento County Sheriff\u2019s Office on October 31.<\/p>\n<p>The operation, dubbed \u2064&#8221;Operation\u2064 Monster Mash,&#8221; was carried out by the\u2064 Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, which consists of 18 local agencies, including the \u2062sheriff\u2019s\u2064 office.<\/p>\n<p>Sheriff Jim Cooper, a former state assemblyman, \u200ddid not mince words when\u200d addressing the alleged perpetrators involved in the online viewing and trading of \u2064child\u200c pornography. During a press conference, he referred to them as &#8220;the scum of the earth&#8221; and expressed his frustration at not being \u200dable to fully convey the severity of their actions \u200bto\u2062 the public.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;These individuals are the scum of the earth,&#8221; Mr. Cooper said during a press conference Tuesday.\u200b &#8220;I wish I could show you all \u200bin the public how bad\u2064 it is. These folks are evil.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The\u2063 materials collected during the investigation\u200c included disturbing\u200d images and videos involving child victims as young as newborns and toddlers. Shockingly, one of the arrested individuals had even engaged in an online conversation with the\u2063 parent of one of the \u2062victims, seeking permission\u2064 to molest the child.<\/p>\n<p>The Sacramento County Sheriff\u2019s Office shared the\u200c following \u2064statement on social media:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Many of the\u200b targeted suspects\u2062 were found to be in possession \u2062of horrendous [child pornography] files that depicted sexual images \u200cof infants and toddlers \u2063who were forced to engage in sexual abuse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>During the operation, law enforcement\u200d officials \u2064recovered tens\u2062 of thousands of images and videos. One suspect alone had amassed over 5 \u200dterabytes of illicit material,\u200d equivalent to \u200c5,000 gigabytes. The detectives also discovered footage of unknown individuals\u2062 urinating on infants and toddlers.<\/p>\n<p>One of \u200cthe suspects, Josh Sevilla, is facing charges\u2064 related to &#8220;hands-on&#8221; offenses with a minor between the ages \u2062of 11 and 12. He remains\u200d in custody on a\u2063 $1 million bond.<\/p>\n<h2>Future\u200b Investigations in Jeopardy<\/h2>\n<p>The \u200bsuccess of\u200c future investigations into child pornography crimes \u2064may be compromised\u200b due to a recent decision by\u200d Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and\u2062 WhatsApp, to encrypt its\u200d data by the \u200dend of the year. This \u2062move has raised concerns \u2063among <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-governor-encourages-people-to-call-police-on-neighbors-violating-covid-orders\/\" title=\"Oregon Governor Encourages People To Call Police On Neighbors Violating COVID Orders\">law enforcement agencies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Sheriff Cooper \u200drevealed \u2063that Meta currently provides \u200blaw enforcement with approximately 27 million tips regarding child pornography crimes each year. However, \u2064encryption\u2062 will make it significantly more \u200dchallenging for authorities to investigate \u200bsuch \u2064offenses.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We\u2019re going\u200c to lose a majority of those tips,&#8221; Mr. Cooper said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He criticized Meta&#8217;s decision, accusing the\u200b company of prioritizing\u2062 profits over the\u2063 safety of children:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Facebook \u2063and Meta,\u2063 they want \u2062to skirt their\u2063 responsibility. They\u2019re going to full encryption. So then, \u200dhow do we capture these bad people? Ask yourself,\u200c who is Meta concerned about? It\u2019s \u2063profits over\u200d our children.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Sheriff \u2063Cooper \u2063plans to collaborate with state lawmakers to develop legislation addressing harsher penalties \u2062and other measures to combat the growing child pornography problem.<\/p>\n<p>The Sacramento County District Attorney\u2019s Office has been overwhelmed by the surge \u2062in child pornography cases,\u200d necessitating the addition\u200c of another prosecutor to\u2064 the unit. Currently, two full-time prosecutors are handling approximately 85 cases.<\/p>\n<h2>Arrested Individuals<\/h2>\n<p>The following \u200cindividuals were arrested during &#8220;Operation Monster Mash&#8221;:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Santos Abraham Sanchez, 53, of Sacramento<\/li>\n<li>Gary Paul\u200c Gauthier, 63, of Sacramento<\/li>\n<li>Christopher Kent Bowman, 38, of Citrus Heights<\/li>\n<li>Joseph John Deangelis, 53, of Elk Grove<\/li>\n<li>Michael Bradford \u200cStealey, 45, of Folsom<\/li>\n<li>Joshua \u2064Alan Akins, 35, of Lodi<\/li>\n<li>Thomas\u200d Rider Plowright, 55, city unknown<\/li>\n<li>Marc Kevin Floresca,\u2063 32, of Cameron Park<\/li>\n<li>Matthew Todd \u2063Berg, 35,\u2063 of Roseville<\/li>\n<li>Robert Owen Gunwall, 50, of Roseville<\/li>\n<li>James Stanley \u2064Skaggs, 60, of Isleton<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Sacramento County District \u2062Attorney\u2019s Office\u200d has\u200c indicated \u2063that additional charges may be filed \u200cagainst some of the defendants. The \u2063exact maximum sentences \u200bfor each defendant have yet to\u200d be determined.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How \u2062can tech companies,\u200d like Meta, strike a \u2063balance between user \u2063privacy and\u200b public safety to \u2064ensure the protection\u2063 of vulnerable members of society while still \u200callowing law\u2064 enforcement \u200cto effectively investigate and combat online child exploitation<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Reports annually, which\u200d often play a crucial role in identifying and apprehending child predators. However, with the implementation of end-to-end encryption, these tips \u2063may no longer be accessible\u2064 to law enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>In \u2063response to\u200c Meta&#8217;s decision, Sheriff Cooper said, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to lose that\u2064 ability to track down these monsters who are preying on our children. It&#8217;s a \u200cdevastating \u2063blow \u200cto our \u200cinvestigations and\u200b the safety of our\u2062 community.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The concern stems from the\u2063 fact that \u200bend-to-end encryption will prevent even \u200bthe platform from accessing the content of messages exchanged between users. While privacy advocates \u2064argue that encryption is essential \u2064for protecting users&#8217; data, law enforcement agencies\u2062 are concerned that it \u2064will hinder their ability to \u200dtrack and apprehend criminals, especially\u2062 those\u2064 involved in child exploitation.<\/p>\n<p>Child pornography offenses have been on the rise in recent years, with law enforcement agencies working tirelessly \u200cto combat this heinous crime. The ability to trace digital footprints and\u2064 gather evidence online \u2063has \u200cbeen instrumental in \u200bidentifying offenders and rescuing victims. However, with the implementation of end-to-end encryption, the key tool to battle these crimes may\u200c be rendered ineffective.<\/p>\n<p>Sheriff Cooper emphasized the\u2063 need for tech companies to\u200b strike\u2063 a balance between privacy and public safety. He stated, &#8220;While \u2062we respect individuals&#8217; right to privacy, we also have a responsibility \u2062to protect the most \u200dvulnerable members\u200b of \u2062our society. \u200cIt is essential\u2063 for companies like \u200bMeta to \u200bwork with law enforcement in finding a solution that ensures the safety of our communities.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As law enforcement agencies \u2062continue\u2063 to grapple\u2062 with the challenges posed by\u2063 advancing technology, the fight against online child exploitation becomes even more crucial.\u2062 Efforts must be\u200c made to find\u2062 innovative solutions that allow for the \u200bprotection \u200dof user privacy \u2062while still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/vulnerable-senate-democrat-opposes-ending-title-42\/\" title=\"Vulnerable Senate Democrat Opposes Ending Title 42\">enabling law enforcement<\/a> to effectively \u2063investigate and apprehend those involved in these horrific crimes.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the 12 men apprehended\u200b in Operation Monster\u2062 Mash will \u2063face charges related to child\u200c pornography, exploitation, and potentially other offenses. The investigation serves as a stark reminder of the disturbing reality that exists within society\u200b and the ongoing\u2062 need for\u200b vigilance \u200band collaboration\u2063 in the fight against child exploitation.<\/p>\n<p>As \u200dcommunities reel \u200cfrom the revelations of such reprehensible crimes, it is evident that comprehensive initiatives are required to address \u200bthe root causes and prevent the \u200cproliferation of child pornography. Education, awareness, and support for victims and survivors \u200cshould\u2062 be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/12-arrested-in-sacramento-county-child-pornography-sting\/\" title=\"12 individuals have been arrested in a child pornography operation in Sacramento County.\">prioritized alongside robust\u200d law enforcement efforts<\/a> to \u2064ensure a \u2063safer environment for all children.<\/p>\n<p>While the arrest of these individuals\u2064 brings some justice for\u200c the victims, more work needs\u200d to be\u200b done to dismantle the\u2062 networks \u200band eradicate the demand for child pornography. It is a collective responsibility to stand \u2062against these heinous acts and protect the\u2063 innocence of our\u200b children. Only through cooperation, awareness, and continuous efforts\u2063 can we hope to create a safer future for the most vulnerable members of our society.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Sacramento County Sheriff&#8217;s Office revealed that 12 men were arrested in the Sacramento Valley region of California after a two-week online child pornography investigation. The operation, named &#8220;Operation Monster Mash,&#8221; was carried out by the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, consisting of 18 local agencies including the sheriff&#8217;s office.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":242,"featured_media":2087479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2087478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2087478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/242"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2087478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2087478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2087479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2087478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2087478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2087478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}