|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Menlo Park Police Department arrested three men on Wednesday after conducting an undercover sting operation using adult dating sites to lure individuals interested in meeting minors for sex, the department said Wednesday.
Law enforcement used Grindr, MeetMe, Tinder and more adult dating sites to pose as underage users. The three men were arrested on suspicion of the intent to sexually victimize children, police said.
The dating apps named require users to be at least 18-years-old to register.
Three suspects allegedly communicated with undercover officers, learned of the fake minors’ ages and arranged to meet them in various locations around Menlo Park after allegedly engaging them in sexually explicit language. Once the suspects showed up at the locations, they were arrested.
One of the suspects was also accused of sending “graphic photos” to the undercover officers.
“Sexual exploitation of children affects communities everywhere, including Menlo Park,” the department said in a statement. “The individuals arrested, traveled here specifically to victimize children, underscoring the importance of vigilance and proactive enforcement.”
Those arrested were a 45-year-old Mountain View resident, 33-year-old San Jose resident and 26-year-old Oakland resident.
They were all arrested on suspicion of attempted lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sex crime or other serious felony, and arranging to meet a minor with the intention of engaging in lewd or lascivious behavior. The Oakland resident was also arrested on suspicion of distributing “harmful matter” to a minor.
All three are currently held on bond in the Maguire Correctional Facility. The Mountain View resident and San Jose resident have had their bond set at $300,000. The Oakland resident has a $400,000 bond. They are scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25.
The department encouraged parents to stay vigilant about their children’s activities online and report suspicious activity to law enforcement.
Editor’s Note: This news organization’s policy is to withhold the names of those arrested for most crimes until the District Attorney has determined there is sufficient evidence to file charges in the case.
This story was updated with the names of the “social media” sites the police department used.
