MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ — Twelve men were arrested in a multi-agency undercover operation targeting alleged child predators who were using social media and online messaging applications to lure underage children for sexual activity, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced Monday.
The operation, called “Operation Bad Santa,” was led by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The arrests were made over six days from Dec. 8 through Dec. 12 and on Dec. 15.
Assisting agencies included the East Brunswick Police Department, FBI Newark, Edison Police Department, Highland Park Police Department, New Brunswick Police Department, Monroe Police Department, Piscataway Police Department, Sayreville Police Department, South River Police Department, Homeland Security and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
The underage “children” the defendants communicated with were undercover officers.
Ten defendants were arrested when they arrived at an undercover residence where they expected to find a child.
Two defendants engaged in online child exploitation and were arrested upon their identification.
All 12 men were arrested without incident.
Delpis Reynoso-Castro, 26, of New Brunswick, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Marcos Aguila, 57, of East Brunswick, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Jose Leguia, 57, of Old Bridge, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Hareshkumar “Harry” Vala, 44, of Dunellen, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Vedant Khandelwal, 38, of Bridgewater, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Kevin Knox, 65, of North Brunswick, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Cameron Ameye, 33, of Bloomingdale, a program coordinator of Youth Rise at Passaic County Community College, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Jorge Mora, 52, of Jackson, was charged with one count of second-degree luring, one count of third-degree criminal attempt – distributing obscene material to a minor and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Joseph Davicsin, 46, of East Brunswick, a middle school teacher in Elizabeth, was charged with one count of second-degree luring and one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Akash Shah, 23, of East Brunswick, was charged with one count of second-degree luring, one count of third-degree distributing obscene material to a minor and one count of third-degree endangering sexual conduct with a child.
Raul Angeles, 53, of Asbury Park, was charged with one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child.
James Keating, 59, of Edison, was charged with one count of third-degree criminal attempt – endangering sexual conduct with a child and one count of third-degree distributing obscene material to a minor.
The investigation is active and continuing.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3300.
