CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Eight people have been arrested as part of a targeted operation to keep predators offline, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office announced.
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to conduct Operation Online Guardian.
“The protection of children, both in our community and online, is our highest priority,” Sheriff Carl Ritchie said.
The operation began in May as a chat operation on social media, involving suspects from in and out of state. Investigators posed as minors, typically selecting ages of 14 or younger, and created backstories for their undercover work.
“The investigators assisted with us during the operation as an undercover chatter. Other agencies assisted during follow-ups, such as the Marshals Service, in apprehending these offenders who were in other states,” Detective Jason Bowen of the ICAC Task Force said.
Six of the eight arrests involved individuals who traveled during the operation with the intent to meet a child to engage in sexual activity, according to officials. Several of the men arrested chatted for multiple days, resulting in multiple charges.
Detective Bowen said parents should watch for significant behavior changes in children who may be targeted by predators.
“One of the things that we see in our experience is behavior change, and we mean pretty significant, extreme behavior change, grades, attendance, trying to hide devices, hide things that are on devices,” Bowen said.
The task force has observed a current trend of predators blackmailing children if they don’t send pictures or comply with demands.
Bowen recommended parents maintain access to their children’s devices.
“You should, number one, absolutely know the passcode to those devices and have access and carte blanche ability to look through those devices. And this isn’t a privacy issue. Children do need room and space to grow, but as you can see from this operation, this is a give them that room, but we also have to protect them as parents,” he said.
Ritchie issued a warning to those targeting children online.
“Those who target children, online or elsewhere, will be found, and they will be held accountable,” Ritchie said.
Officials said the operation is designed to deter predators from harming children.
The charges and arrests are as follows:
- Russell M. Troxell- Arrested May 14
- Traveled to meet a minor for sexual activity during Operation Online Guardian
- Second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor
- First-degree attempted sexual exploitation of a minor
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
- Dominis G. Abdo- Arrested May 14
- Traveled to meet a minor for sexual activity during Operation Online Guardian
- Second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor
- First-degree attempted sexual exploitation of a minor
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
- Omega J. Smalls- Arrested May 14
- Traveled to meet a minor for sexual activity during Operation Online Guardian
- Second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
- Jared M. Chandler- Arrested May 14
- Traveled to meet a minor for sexual activity during Operation Online Guardian
- Second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor
- First-degree attempted sexual exploitation of a minor
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
- Jason Taylor- Arrested May 16
- Traveled to meet a minor for sexual activity during Operation Online Guardian
- Second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor
- First-degree attempted sexual exploitation of a minor
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
- Resisting arrest
- Riley E. Blakely- Arrested May 16
- Traveled to meet a minor for sexual activity during Operation Online Guardian
- Second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor
- Two counts of first-degree attempted sexual exploitation of a minor
- Three counts of attempted dissemination of obscene material to a minor
- Four counts of criminal solicitation of a minor
- Attempted child luring
- Possession of a weapon during a violent crime
- Joseph Scoppettuolo- Arrested November 6
- Two counts of first-degree attempted sexual exploitation of a minor
- Five counts of criminal solicitation of a minor
- Matthew Wicker- Arrested November 13
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
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