Six suspected child predators are off the streets following an online undercover operation.
They face numerous felony charges and are accused of using online chatrooms and dating apps to prey on children.
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Detectives from the Alpharetta Police Department told Channel 2’s Michael Seiden that they spent four days posing as underage children in online chatrooms and internet websites
While most of the men they targeted are local, police say at least one of the guys they arrested traveled more than 200 miles, because he thought he was going to have sex with an underage child prostitute.
Police say the busts went down earlier this month.
“If an individual is willing to travel to Alpharetta to have sex with someone they believe is a minor, they would be willing to have sex with a minor that they contact in real life,’ said Detective Capt. Andrew Splawn, Alpharetta police.
Investigators say the conversations started on a number of online chatrooms: apps, websites and even dating apps
Adrian Cruz Castillo, 48, is facing multiple charges, including human trafficking after police said they determined he traveled more than 200 miles from Nashville to Alpharetta, where he thought he was meeting up with an underage prostitute
With summer break just around the corner, police are calling on all parents to stay vigilant
“Any device that connects to the internet, whether that be a handheld gaming device, a cellphone, a tablet or conventional device that hooks up to TV, any time there’s chatting available, a child runs the risk of being targeted by a predator,” Splawn said.
Alpharetta police said they don’t want to get tips from parents or concerned community members
They told me they know online predators are everywhere, so their special investigations unit is always on the lookout and conducting these types of operations.
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