Bay Area authorities arrested 29 sexual predator suspects lastweekend in Petaluma during a six-month investigation of online sexcrimes against children. A majority of the suspects are from the BayArea and come from all walks of life.
The sting was carried out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday andinvolved authorities from the Petaluma Police Department, SonomaCounty Sheriff's Department, Sonoma County District Attorney'sOffice, California Bureau of Investigation and the Santa Rosa PoliceDepartment.
The agencies teamed with a volunteer organization called PervertedJustice to attract potential sexual predators. Volunteers from theorganization posed as boys and girls ages 10 to 13 in Internet chatrooms. The suspects allegedly developed relationships with the "kids"and showed up at a Petaluma house last weekend thinking that theonline chatters would be available for sexual activity, said Petalumapolice Sgt. DJ Phimister.
Instead, the suspects were met by authorities who were staked outat a nearby house, according
ing to a Petaluma Police Department press release.
The suspects allegedly used instant messaging services and e-mailin hopes of developing relationships with children. This behavior andoften goes from benign to sexual within minutes, the press releasestated.
Trained volunteers from the group Perverted Justice monitor someonline chat rooms across the country and attempt to expose predators.The volunteers eventually arrange meetings, and if the potentialpredator shows clear sexual interest, the volunteers contactauthorities. The authorities then arrest, book and interview suspectsat the meeting sites.
Suspects from last weekend's bust were taken to the Sonoma CountyJail and face charges of entry with the intent to commit a felony andattempted lewd or lascivious acts involving children. Bail for eachperson was set at $30,000.
The investigation is ongoing. The police press release listed all29 of the arrested suspects, including:
Wai Kit Cheuk, San Francisco, PG&E telemarketer
Euguenio Peres, Fremont, occupation unknown
Anurag Tiwari, Sunnyvale, Sun Microsystems engineer
Maurice Wolin, Piedmont, physician
Manuel Uson, Hayward, plant supervisor
Shaka Kahn, Hayward, occupation unknown
Chandrashekhar Nonna, Oakland, Strategic Staffing Solutionsengineer
Michelle Beaver is a general assignment reporter who also coverspolice and San Lorenzo. She can be reached atmbeaver@dailyreviewonline.com or (510) 293-2463.
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