Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in collaboration with the Madera County Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol, announced the conclusion of "To Catch a Predator," an operation targeting online sexual predators. Over three days, five individuals were arrested for attempting to contact and meet minors for sexual purposes.

The operation involved the California Department of Justice’s Fresno Human Trafficking Sexual Predator Apprehension Team (HT-SPAT), the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. It concluded on January 18, 2025.

Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasized, “The exploitation of children will not be tolerated in California.” He highlighted that according to estimates by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the FBI, there are 500,000 active online predators daily. He expressed gratitude towards partners who contributed to this operation.

Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue stated, “We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with the CA DOJ Human Trafficking Team in Fresno and CA Highway Patrol,” emphasizing their shared commitment to protecting vulnerable populations. CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee added that “the safety and well-being of our children is our top priority.”

Undercover agents posed as minors on social media platforms commonly used by child sex predators. Once identified, suspects were apprehended and charged under Penal Code Sections 288.3 and 288.4 for contacting and meeting minors for sexual purposes. The Madera County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute these cases.

The CA DOJ Victims’ Services Unit (VSU) provides support services across the state to crime victims including underserved populations. More information is available at oag.ca.gov/victimservices or by calling (877) 433-9069.

For those facing forced activities or unable to leave situations of exploitation, assistance can be accessed through the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or by calling emergency services at 9-1-1.