FRESNO – Nine local men were arrested during a five-week national operation targeting sex offenders who have committed crimes against children online. 
The arrests were part of the national operation, “iGuardian,” run by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Internet Crimes Against Children. The operation ran from May 28 through June 30 across the country.
Overall, 255 child predators were taken into custody. The most arrests by an individual Homeland Security Investigations office were in Tampa, Fla., but Fresno’s office ranked in at second.
“I don’t believe we have more of it than any place else. I believe we’re being very aggressive in protecting our children in this area,” Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said.
The operation aimed to arrest individuals who sexually exploit minors online, as well as those who trade and produce images of child pornography.
Those arrested in the Fresno area were: Richard Cervantes, 32, of Fresno; Raul Rosario, 31, of Fresno; David Hutchinson, 48, of Fresno; Derek Garcia, 35, of Fresno; Matthew Broadway, 30, of Clovis; Fabian Lopez, 27, of Corcoran; Danny Reynoso, 42, of Corcoran; Sean Eberle, 37, of Lemoore; and David Godinez, 28, of Visalia.
Authorities say suspect Derek Garcia threw his laptop over his fence when the agents arrived at his home.
Mims says that, although not all of the suspects have abused children in person, online activities such as viewing child pornography can sometimes lead to other crimes. The sheriff’s department teaches 43 agencies how to find online predators.
Mims says that while technology may make it easier for suspects to prey on children, “also it’ll make it easier for us to find and catch them.”
Read More:
The Fresno Bee- 9 Fresno-area Men Arrested in Child-Predator Operation
Fox 26- Child Porn Busts: Nine Fresno-Area People Arrested
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