Mesa police arrest 8 in undercover child sex crime operation

PHOENIX — Mesa police arrested eight suspects as part of an undercover operation targeting child sex crimes and human trafficking, the department announced Thursday.

Operation Vampire Cough had officers and undercover detectives placing advertisements on websites commonly used by individuals to seek out illegal sex acts.

Suspects solicited or made deals for various child sex acts and were subsequently arrested, the department said.

The eight suspects, who were all male, ranged in age between 20 and 37 years old.

Here’s the list of suspects and their charges:

• Cody Watson, 29: Attempted sexual conduct with a minor, aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation
• Joshua Robinson, 37: Luring, attempted sexual conduct with a minor, felony warrant
• Kenneth Castro, 30: Attempted sexual conduct with a minor, aggravated luring
• Wilbert Buck, 36: Luring, attempted sexual conduct with a minor
• Jacob Green, 26: Attempted sexual conduct with a minor, aggravated luring
• Dylan Hernandez, 20: Attempted child sex trafficking, attempted sexual conduct with a minor, money laundering
• Brett Wheeler, 20: Luring, attempted sexual conduct with a minor
• Eugene Hubbard, 35: Child sex trafficking, attempted sexual conduct with a minor, money laundering

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