EAST BAY, CA — The Oakley Police Department hosted a sting operation May 24-31 to identify and arrest adults who use the internet to seek out children to abuse and sexually exploit them.

The operation resulted in the arrests of 11 men — including a South San Francisco resident — on suspicion of establishing inappropriate and sexually-based online relationships with whom they believed were minor children, the Oakley Police Department said in a news release.

It is alleged that the 11 suspects tried to physically meet up with their intended target by driving to a predesignated “meet location.” Some brought candy with them as well as sexual contraception items, police said.

A known Boy Scout Troop Master was among those arrested, while another is a known behavioral therapist for children with special needs.

All 11 arrestees were booked into Contra Costa County jail on felony charges. The Oakley Police
Department identified the men arrested as:

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

The operation was conducted in conjunction with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force comprised of members from the following law enforcement agencies: Antioch Police Department, Brentwood Police Department, Concord Police Department, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Contra Costa County Safe Streets Task Force, Danville Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pittsburg Police Department, U.S. Secret Service, and the Walnut Creek Police Department.

Oakley Police Detective J. Dombrouski coordinated the effort with support from Sgt. K. Morris, Detective B. Gill, Detective N. Pistello, Detective R. Schiff and several other Oakley police officers. The coordination efforts included ensuring enough personnel were dedicated and in place to account for an appropriate number of takedown teams, and ensuring enough technical, forensic and investigative support was in place to lead to a successful operation.

Oakley Police Chief Paul Bead issued this statement:

“I thoroughly appreciate all of the efforts and diligence exhibited by all of the law-enforcement personnel, Deputy District Attorneys, and support staff members that resulted in the arrests of these very dangerous men.

“Furthermore, I am very proud of my investigations staff who coordinated everything that went into this operation, and I am honored to be their Chief. I have always appreciated proactive, task-oriented missions. This operation ranks at the top of what I consider to be the most important type of proactive, task-oriented mission. In a very literal sense, the innocence of children was saved by the efforts that went into this operation. Knowing some of the backstories that went into these arrests, I have a very visceral feeling of disgust about the men who were arrested.

“I believe I speak for everybody involved in what happened when I say I fully support the prosecutors as they manage the criminal filings and cases against these men while they seek complete accountability against them. Stay safe Oakley and hold your children tight.”