Statewide sex crimes operation nets hundreds of arrests, 31 in Stanislaus County
Thirty-one people were arrested on suspicion of sex crimes in Stanislaus County as part of a statewide operation.
Law enforcement posted and responded to ads on various websites and social media for people seeking to purchase or sell sex for money, said Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Detective Casey Cooper.
Law enforcement arranged to meet the suspects at motels in Salida and Turlock.
Cooper said 15 people were arrested at each motel and another man was arrested by authorities in his hometown of Sacramento.
Nearly all of the suspects were arrested on suspicion of soliciting or aiding in prostitution, but one man was charged with pimping and another with pandering.
The man charged with pandering, 25-year-old Keith Maddox, is a convicted child molester who had failed to register as a sex offender. In 2018, he pleaded no contest to lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.
Statewide, 518 people were arrested as part of the operation and authorities assisted 87 victims, including 11 minors. One of the victims who received services was helped by officials in Stanislaus County.
Cooper said the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department organizes the operation and maintains a database that helps authorities track the sex trade “circuit” throughout the state.
“We want to know who the players are and if they are associated with anyone else in any other areas,” Cooper said. “When they choose to go after certain victims, we want to know why they are going after them and where these crimes are occurring.”
This story was originally published February 7, 2020 at 4:17 PM.
