KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff's Office worked together to arrest six men for child exploitation.
“This operation showed what we already knew: child predators are looking for your kids online,” Clay County Sheriff Will Akin said in a news release. “We will do everything we can to keep children safe, and we encourage parents to monitor their kids’ social media use closely.”
The men snared in Operation Blue Ghost used social media to contact what they thought was a 14-year-old girl, according to the news release.
They were planning to meet the girl for sex.
Some of the men sent pornographic pictures of themselves to what they thought was the child's social media account.
The social media profiles were set up by the Clay County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division, according to the news release.
Law officers were waiting for the men when they showed up at pre-arranged sites to meet the girl.
One of the men, Robert Koester, 32, of Springfield, Missouri, tried to escape capture.
He backed into a sheriff's deputy and pinned the deputy between two vehicles, according to the release.
Koester ran into several sheriff's department patrol vehicles and a mailbox during his escape attempt.
He crashed and hit a light pole on Missouri 210 Highway near Interstate 435.
Koester tried to physically resist arrest, but was subdued by deputies.
The men charged in Clay County Court:
- Jackie S. Sedgwick, 59, of KCMO, is charged with sexual misconduct with a child under 15
- Wilfredo Sanabria-Recinos, 38, of KCMO, also charged with sexual misconduct with a child under 15 and enticement of a child.
- Omar Lopez-Calderon, 26, of KCMO, charged with enticement of a child and endangering the welfare of a child, the release states.
- Jacob R. Miller, 31, of Gallatin, Missouri, is charged with enticement of a child.
Koester, after his efforts to resist capture, is charged with enticement of a child, first degree assault on a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action, resisting arrest by fleeing and drug possession.
The sheriff's office conducted their own sting operation in March.
They caught Russell P. McGinnis, 43, of Independence, Missouri.
McGinnis is charged in Clay County Court with enticement of a child and furnishing pornographic material to a minor.
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