Reno, Washoe County, Nevada, United States is home to the University of Nevada. The Regional Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T) Unit is composed of detectives from the university’s police services, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments of Reno; Sparks, Washoe County; the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Reservation in Nevada and the Washoe County School District.
From November 1-2, 2023, the Regional HEAT Unit conducted a sting operation at a lodging establishment to combat sex purchasers and other crimes related to child sexual exploitation. The goal was to target adults trying to engage in sexual activity with children.
During this period, adults allegedly used various online platforms to solicit who they thought was an underage child but was actually an undercover detective. The suspects allegedly arranged to engage in sexual activity with the purported juvenile.
After the online conversations, a total of 14 adults allegedly arrived at an arranged location in Nevada. One of them allegedly tried to engage in the solicitation of prostitution while the 13 others allegedly tried to engage in sexual activity with who they believed to be a juvenile.
All of the 14 suspects were booked into the Washoe County Jail in Reno. Here are their names and respective ages:
- Andrew Joseph Burdette, 28
- Brandon James Whitlock, 31
- Carlos Ramirez-Meza, 27
- Christopher Lawrence Blakeman, 39
- Israel Alfredo Oconitrillo-Calderon, 32
- Javier Diaz-Figueroa, 40
- Jhonyy Jimenez Balbuena, 20
- Junming Wang, 35
- Keith A. Riley, 52
- Larry Otis Dotson Jr., 31
- Michael Farrier, 55
- Nathan Cole Carter, 34
- Timothy Leverette, 47
- Trent Weider, 25
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the 14 arrestees’ alleged crimes is asked to call the Regional HEAT Unit at 775 325-6470.
CONAN Daily 