Maricopa County corrections officer arrested in underage sex sting

A Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detention officer was arrested in Chandler after allegedly arranging to pay for sex with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl, according to court records.

Emmanuel Carreon, 37, of Glendale, was booked Thursday on one count of felony child sex trafficking.

Carreon is accused of contacting a purported 15-year-old girl over social media to pay for sex. That account was actually being operated by an undercover Chandler Police Department officer.

A recent graduate from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Detention Academy, Carreon was assigned to the Lower Buckeye Jail in April, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. He is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Chandler Police say they caught Carreon in an undercover sting

Carreon twice offered money for sex during messages with the undercover account, according to the court records. Police said he sent two photos of himself during the exchange, which investigators used to identify him through open-source databases.

After offering to pay $100 for sex, Carreon set up a rendezvous in Chandler with the person he thought was an underage teen, police said.

Surveillance officers watched the agreed-upon apartment complex where Carreon allegedly made several laps through the parking lot before sending a text message and asking the girl to come outside.

Carreon was pulled over and arrested without incident by Chandler Police officers.

Police said Carreon was also found with $100 in cash and a male enhancement supplement.

“The defendant admitted he knew what he was doing was wrong and that he was not thinking straight,” read the probable cause statement.

Carreon has a status conference scheduled for June 4 and a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 8 in Maricopa County Superior Court. He was found eligible for a public defender.

“We remain committed to working with the Chandler Police Department and maintaining the integrity of the investigative process and upholding the standards and accountability expected of all employees,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Carreon’s bond was set at $200,000 bond.

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