Portland, OR: A sting operation targeting internet child sex predators has resulted in the recent arrest of six males in southern and central Oregon. Last week, in Redmond, one of those individuals was arrested.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), a collaborative inter-agency task force known as the Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) carried out sting operations in order to apprehend predators who allegedly met online with local minors for sexual purposes.
Undercover cops working for SOCET pretended to be children on the internet. Suspects were expected to approach them and propose sexual relations. According to JCSO, the suspects continued to send images, graphic texts, and detailed requests for sexual acts even after they were told the youngster was old enough to understand them.
Redmond was the site of the most recent arrest on March 13. According to JCSO, 66-year-old Steven Charles Newstrom of Redmond was apprehended when he attempted to meet a minor for sexual relations. He is facing extradition to Jackson County after his arrest by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on allegations of luring a minor and second-degree online sexual corruption of a child.
A snapshot of the arrest, which occurred near a Starbucks, was uploaded by JCSO.
From January 24th to February 7th, according to the indictment, the alleged offense was committed.
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“We do a variety of different cases,” Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Detective Steve Bohn said. “We will work side by side cyber tips, where we get reports of individuals treating child pornography on the Internet. We will take those cyber tips and investigate those and conduct search warrants and locate individuals and hold them accountable for trading and distributing child pornography on the Internet.”
The other suspects arrested in this case:
- Gabriel Julian Harrison-Swinden, 29, of White City. Arrested Jan. 30. According to JCSO, investigators believe Harrison-Swinden may have victimized children throughout the U.S.
- Kelly Patrick Ramsey, 57, of Central Point. Arrested Jan. 30. According to JCSO, investigators believe Harrison-Swinden may have victimized children throughout the U.S.
- Steven Eugene Fitzgerald Buckner, 33, of Tigard. Arrested Feb. 3. According to JCSO, investigators believe Harrison-Swinden may have victimized children throughout the U.S.
- Cayden James Vasquez, 25, of Medford. Arrested Feb. 27.
- Andrew P. Jones, 41, of Milwaukie. Arrested March 12.
“Were able to arrest several individuals,” Bohn said. “Some of those individuals we believe have victims, that they victimize other than them come in to meet with an undercover officer to have sexual contact with a minor.”
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