JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. — Nineteen suspects are off the street in Johnson County after a three-day operation targeting child sex crimes offenders.
The Johnson County Sheriff's Office and the Franklin Police Department conducted the operation Tuesday through Thursday. Detectives posed as underage children, opening the door for suspects who agreed to meet up with them for sexual encounters.
"It was a busy, busy three days and that doesn't account for the folks we simply spoke to in these chat rooms, or they chatted back and forth didn't show up. If all of them showed up, I'd probably fill my jail," said Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess.
Burgess said the sting operation was conducted from Nov. 1 through Nov. 3.
"The sexual gratification that these guys and gals are looking for is mind boggling. I mean, what goes through this person's mind to have these fantasies or to do that? It's just scary," said Burgess.
Burgess said undercover officers had "troubling" and "disturbing" conversations and the men brought different items to the meeting spot, ranging from alcoholic beverages to narcotics to firearms.
Some suspects traveled "great distances," even using rideshare services to meet and have a sexual encounter with a minor. Burgess said some suspects also tried to coerce a minor to leave with them.
The sheriff had a message for others.
"You never know where law enforcement is going to be. We're not going to stop doing these in Johnson County," he said.
This isn't the first child sex sting operation conducted by authorities in Johnson County.
In May of this year, 11 people were arrested. There were eight arrests in April 2021 and 10 arrests in December 2020.
The following individuals were arrested in this week's sting:
- Max Joseph Miller, 25 - Child solicitation (bonded out of jail)
- Christopher Greg Wilson, 37 - Child solicitation (bonded out of jail)
- James T. Miller, 28 - Child solicitation (bonded out of jail)
- Nicholas T. Hubbard, 23
- Mark Alan Adams, 59 - Child solicitation, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making an unlawful proposition (bonded out of jail)
- Helly Cananl Sang, 21 - Child solicitation (bonded out of jail)
- Ryan Alan Browning, 34 - Child solicitation, possession of child pornography
- Zacariah Ray Hart, 43 - Child solicitation and possession of a syringe
- Brallan Campos-Acevedo, 22 - Child solicitation and making unlawful proposition (bonded out of jail)
- Eric N. Johnson, 38 - Child solicitation, dissemination of harmful matter
- Philip Michael Buhrke, 26 - Child solicitation, dissemination of harmful matter to a minor (bonded from jail)
- Calvin Michael Farris, 37 - Child solicitation and dissemination of harmful matter to a minor (bonded out of jail)
- Jonathan D. Morales, 31 - Child solicitation and driving while suspended (bonded out of jail)
- Jered S. Morgan, 22 - Child solicitation (bonded out of jail)
- Jeffery Dylan Alford, 26 - Child solicitation, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia (bonded out of jail)
- Samuel Ernestro Severino Cabrera, 24 - Child solicitation and making an unlawful proposition
- Jonathan Tyler Evans, 36 - Child solicitation, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana, and possession of paraphernalia
- Za Thio, 36 - Child solicitation and making an unlawful proposition
- Jeffrey A. Hance, 64 - Child solicitation, criminal mischief, resisting law enforcement and prostitution
The suspects in the most recent sting operation are innocent until proven guilty. Burgess said all information collected during the sting operation has been turned over to the prosecutor's office for review and formal charges.
The police departments involved in the sting reiterated the importance of being aware of children's activity on the internet.
"The number of online apps and what can be discussed is very alarming," a press release said. "There are people who prey on our children every day. We must be vigilant in knowing who is communicating with them."
(Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove the name of one of the men police initially said was arrested in the sting. The Johnson County Sheriff's Department informed 13News one of the men listed had been arrested on unrelated charges.)