11 men allegedly seeking to sexually exploit children arrested in multi-agency sting operation in East Bay

Nearly a dozen men were arrested as part of a multi-agency sting operation targeting adults who use the Internet to seek out children to sexually exploit and abuse, authorities said Monday.

The Oakley Police Department said it conducted an operation May 24-31 that included identifying and arresting adults who were seeking inappropriate and sexual online relationships with children they believed to be minors.

Officers arrested 11 men who physically attempted to meet their targets at a pre-designated location, police said. Some of those arrested had brought candy as well as condoms; among those arrested were a Boy Scout troop leader and a known behavioral therapist for children with special needs, police said.

All 11 suspects were booked on felony charges.

An Oakley police detective coordinated the operation with support from other Oakley police personnel, police said; the group worked with the National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force as well as the following agencies:

• Antioch Police Department
• Brentwood Police Department
• Concord Police Department
• Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office
• Contra Costa County Prosecutor's Office
• Contra Costa County Safe Streets Task Force
• Danville Police Department
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Homeland Security Investigations
• Pittsburgh Police Department
• United States Secret Service
• Walnut Creek Police Department

The 11 suspects arrested were identified as follows:

• Isaias Valdez, 30, Pittsburgh
• Jason Pearson, 48 years old, Concorde
• Jonathan Henriquez-Garcia, 32, Antioch
• Anthony Taormina, 64, Oakley
• Daniel Sigmundson, 51 years old, Concorde
• Ashneel Singh, 29, Hayward
• Humayoun Kabir, 60 years old, Antioch
• Zuhair Mukatash, 59, South San Francisco
• Luis Cuevas-Morales, 25, Hayward
• Yerson Cruz-Perez, 27, Pittsburgh
• Elio Rodriguez-Martinez, 29, Oakland

“I fully appreciate all the efforts and diligence demonstrated by all law enforcement, deputy prosecutors and support staff that resulted in the arrest of these very dangerous men,” he said. Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard said in a prepared statement. . “In a very literal sense, the children's innocence was saved through the efforts of this operation. Knowing some of the stories that led to these arrests, I have a very visceral feeling of disgust toward the men who were arrested. I believe I speak for everyone involved in what happened when I say that I fully support the prosecutors in handling the criminal cases and cases against these men while seeking accountability against them. .”