Merced child predator operation results in 12 arrests | #childpredator | #kidsaftey | #childsaftey

Twelve people, including six from Merced County, have been arrested after the Merced Police Department conducted a multi-agency operation to catch people who are preying on children, police announced Monday.

One of the suspects was a registered sex offender, according to a Merced Police Department Facebook post.

Merced police detectives collaberated with the Merced County Sheriff’s Department, Merced County District Attorney’s Investigators and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department in the operation.

The operation targeted individuals seeking to engage in illegal activities with underage children, the post said.

Detectives posed as minors online, and targeted individuals who initiated or engaged in sexually explicit conversations with people they believed to be underage. Some arranged in-person meetings, police said.

The arrests were made on March 19-20.

“The Merced Police Department and its allied agencies urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant and to educate children about the dangers of online interactions,” the post said. “If you suspect online child exploitation or inappropriate communication involving a minor, please report it to law enforcement immediately.”