The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations were among the 17 law enforcement agencies involved in Operation Boogeyman. It is a sting operation conducted in Fresno County, California, United States and Tulare County, California from October 18-20, 2023.
Joining the FBI and HSI in the operation were the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Fresno County Probation Adult Compliance Team and the Fresno Police Department. Also involved were the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, the Paso Robles Police Department, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sanger Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the Visalia Police Department.
During the operation, detectives posed as preteen and early teenage boys and girls on social media and other forms of online communication. The undercover detectives identified, contacted and arrested 14 people who initiated a time to meet after expressing their sexual desires.
The 14 arrestees used sexually explicit language and sent graphic photos to the detectives. Here are the suspects’ names and their respective ages:
- Alonzo Watson, 58
- Anthony Rice, 27
- Bryan Smith, 35
- Cresenciano Cortez Merino, 39
- Desmond Fitzgerald, 21
- Elias Ibarra, 30
- Eliazar Sanchez, 39
- Giovanni Jimenez, 29
- Jack Hastings, 30
- James Barboza, 31
- Louie Gonzalez, 41
- Miguel Jimenez, 34
- Sebastian Mouvangsou, 30
- Sukhpreet Jassar, 57
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has filed felony charges against six of the 14 suspects. Some of them have been released after posing bond.
CONAN Daily 