Eight men charged with child sex crimes

Eight suspects have been arrested as part of a multi-jurisdictional undercover sting operation targeting child sex predators and human traffickers.

Planned and executed by the Wake Forest Police Department (WFPD) and Wake County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), the November 12-15 joint operation involved undercover officers and agents posing as juveniles and traffickers. The suspects solicited the agents for sex or some other purpose, and meetings were set up at various locations throughout Wake Forest where they were taken into custody. 

Please note that there were no Wake Forest residents. The eight suspects identified and arrested are:

• Rosendo Benitez Rodriguez, age 26, 5908 Shadetree Lane, Apt. A, Raleigh, NC (attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer)
• Romael Eliberto Morales-Escobar, age 25, 8005 Terrene Dr., Apex, NC (attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer)
• Mahdi Sarbedar, age 33, 4500 Manor Village Way, Apt. 201, Raleigh, NC (attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer)
• Ramon Ayala Mendoza, age 41, 1320 Ephesus Church Road, Apt. 4, Chapel Hill, NC (attempted statutory rape, attempted statutory sex offense, and solicitation of a child by computer
• Valentin Cruz-Salazar, age 39, 7715 NC Hwy. 42 W, Lot 22, Raleigh, NC (attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer)
• Brian Deshawn Mobley, age 51, 7423 Hwy. 231, Middlesex, NC (attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer)
• Alejandro Sean Colon, age 22, 166 Edgecombe Dr., Spring Lake, NC (attempted statutory rape, attempted statutory sex offense, indecent liberties with a child, and solicitation of a child by computer)
• Faud Hossain, age 26, 103 Crosswood Dr., Durham, NC (attempted statutory rape, attempted statutory sex offense, and solicitation of a child by computer)

Police officials say one of the reasons child sex crimes and human trafficking are on the rise is because predators now have access to their victims via home computers and cell phones. As a result, parents should stay vigilant by keeping track of what their children are doing online and off and by asking questions. Parents can also use apps designed to monitor computer use.

This operation was possible and successful thanks to partnerships with surrounding agencies. The WFPD wishes to thank Homeland Security Investigations, NC State Bureau of Investigation, Cary Police Department, Harnett County Sherriff’s Office, Wake County District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of NC’s Raleigh-Cary Area Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Honorable Judge Hoyt G. Tessener for their participation and assistance in the operation.

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A nearly identical mass arrest for sex crimes was carried out by the Wake Forest Police Department in December 2023. The only differences were that the men charged were older and lived closer to Wake Forest

Six suspects have been arrested as part of a multi-jurisdictional undercover sting operation targeting child sex predators and human traffickers.

The December 5 and 6 joint operation involved undercover officers and agents posing as juveniles and traffickers. The suspects solicited the agents for sex or some other purpose, and meetings were set up in various locations throughout Wake Forest where they were taken into custody.

The WFPD identified the six suspects arrested (charges in parentheses):

• Frank Ferlo Jr., age 60, 3308 Beach Plum Court, Raleigh, NC (Solicit by Computer/Appear)
• Anwar Antuan Overby, age 40, 2 Griffith Place, Durham, NC (Attempted First Degree Statutory Rape)
• Amadeo Vargas-Varela, age 49, 4004 Virginia St., #4, Raleigh, NC (Solicit Prostitution Minor)
• Jason Malone Lartigue, age 42, 226 Bridge Point Dr., Rolesville, NC (Solicit Prostitution Minor)
• Calixto Gomez-Carreno, age 43, 104 Broughton St., Garner, NC (Solicit Prostitution Minor)
• Esteban Javier Alvarez-Medina, age 47, 1936 Dunfield Dr., Fuquay-Varina, NC (Solicit Prostitution Minor)

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