An Indian national was arrested earlier this month in Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico in the United States, as part of an “Online Child Predator Operation.” Authorities later identified the suspect taken into custody during the undercover sting as 26-year-old Nagaraju Balkam.
The Santa Fe Police Department released official bodycam footage of the arrest in the first week of March 2026. The clip has since gone viral on X, with users widely sharing it and reacting across the platform.
The Santa Fe Police Department first shared the video on its official social media page on March 3, 2026. It shows officers positioned behind a closed door, waiting for the right moment to apprehend the Indian-origin suspect standing outside. One officer can be seen looking through the peephole, while another records the scene on a body camera.
Moments later, officers rush out and take Balkam into custody. He is seen wearing a light-colored hoodie and holding a mobile phone with an orange case. As several officers in “POLICE” vests, armed and surrounding him, move to handcuff him, one of them asks if he can speak English or Spanish.
After placing him in handcuffs, officers escorted Balkam to a nearby room. They asked him to face the wall as they continued to search him.
According to the Santa Fe Police Department’s official bodycam footage, the arrest took place after 10 pm on February 26, 2026. In a March 3 Instagram post, officials said Nagaraju Balkam of Santa Fe was arrested on charges of “Sexual Exploitation of Children by Prostitution and Child Solicitation by Electronic Communication Device (Meets with Child).”
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Reports also confirmed that Nagaraju Balkam, listed under Santa Fe Police Department case number 2026001937, was not the only person arrested during the multi-day operation targeting online sexual predators in Santa Fe. Others taken into custody included 59-year-old Eduardo Ramirez, 55-year-old Harold Adams, and 29-year-old Tomas Cacjo.
According to a report by KOAT News, each of the accused now faces child solicitation charges among other counts. Police also said the investigation is ongoing and more suspects could be charged.
Eduardo Ramirez, listed under Santa Fe Police Department case number 2026001878, was arrested on charges of child solicitation by electronic device, along with resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer. Harold Adams, under case number 2026001896, faces charges of child solicitation by electronic communication device and tampering with evidence. Tomas Cacjo, identified in case number 2026001907, was arrested for sexual exploitation of children by prostitution, child solicitation by electronic communication device, and resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer.
The arrests were carried out by the Special Victims Unit as part of a coordinated operation, with support from several Santa Fe detectives and police officers. According to KSFR.org, the effort involved officers using undercover accounts across multiple websites and messaging platforms.
Through these accounts, detectives communicated directly with suspects. Once they were identified, authorities moved in and arrested those who attempted to engage in sexual crimes against individuals they believed were children.
