An Israeli government official was arrested in a multi-agency operation that targeted alleged child sex predators in the Las Vegas Valley earlier this month, according to Israeli media reports.
Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, is facing a felony count of luring or attempting to lure a child with computer technology to engage in sexual conduct, Henderson Justice Court records show.
On Friday, the Metropolitan Police Department issued a news release announcing the arrests of Alexandrovich and seven other suspects who were taken into custody as part of an undercover operation.
Alexandrovich posted a $10,000 bail at the Henderson Detention Center on Aug. 7, a day after the alleged offense, records show.
Alexandrovich has since returned to Israel, according to The Jerusalem Post, which obtained a statement from the Israel National Cyber Directorate.
The newspaper described him as a “senior official at the Cyber Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office” and reported that he managed substantial budgets at the agency and led teams that worked to protect critical infrastructure. The newspaper also said he is an Israeli resident.
“The employee updated the directorate that during his trip to the United States, he was questioned by the US authorities on matters unrelated to his work, and he returned to Israel at the planned time of return,” the agency’s statement said, according to the Jerusalem Post. “The directorate has not received additional details through authorized channels to date.
“Should such details be received, the directorate will act accordingly,” the statement continued. “At this stage, by joint decision, the employee has gone on leave to deal with the matter until things become clear.”
A status hearing to check on the filing of the charge was slated for Aug. 27, according to online court records.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Alexandrovich “also worked in cyber-threat intelligence and active defense; took part in shaping Israel’s cyber policy and in international forums; and advised various government bodies.”
Bail for the eight suspects ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, records show.
Additional details of the allegations that led to the arrests were not immediately available. The court docket did not list a defense attorney for him.
Most of the suspects arrested in the sting, including Alexandrovich, had no bail restrictions listed on court records.
Only two of them remained in custody Saturday afternoon, records show.
The two-week joint operation included local regional police, the state’s attorney general’s office and federal agents, according to Metro.
Metro’s press release heeded warning about children “engaging with strangers online.”
“Parents are encouraged to routinely monitor their children’s activity on social media and other online applications to prevent them from becoming victims of a child sex predator,” police said.
The Metro news release said the other suspects arrested were David Wonnacott-Yahnke, 40; Jose Alberto Perez-Torres, 35; Aniket Brajeshkumar Sadani, 23; James Ramon Reddick, 23; Ramon Manuel Parra Valenzuela, 29; Neal Harrison Creecy, 46, and John Charles Duncan, 49.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
