SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. — According to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, during the month of March 2026, the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) performed undercover work to pinpoint and communicate with potential child predators. During the operation, detectives identified three people who they believed had been communicating with someone they believed to be a child.
The operation resulted in the arrests of Robert Matthew Murrel, 45, of Shingletown, for communicating with a minor with sexual intent, Chase Edward Bennet, 34, of Redding, for communicating with a minor with sexual intent and arranging a meeting with a minor, and Christian James Contantino, 37, of Oak run, for sending harmful material to a minor, communicating with a minor with sexual intent and arranging to meet with a minor for sexual intent.
Arrest warrants were issued for the suspects on Thursday, March 19, 2026. All three subjects were booked in the Shasta County Jail with bail set at $50,000.
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