ASHEBORO N.C. (ACME NEWS) — The Randolph County based Invictus Task Force joined multiple other agencies across the state in an undercover operation last month that led to the arrest of over a dozen men accused of attempting to solicit minors online.

According to a press release, the four-day operation was conducted in Nashville, N.C., in February and involved 12 agencies and more than 150 officers to target individuals who believed they were communicating online with children under the age of 16.

Officers posed as minors during online communications with suspects as part of efforts to intercept criminal activity before it reached real children, authorities said.

The operation produced more than 80 criminal charges against the 16 suspects, including sexual exploitation of a minor, solicitation of a child by computer, attempted statutory rape, indecent liberties with a child, firearms violations and dissemination of obscenity to a minor.

“This operation demonstrates the power of teamwork and shared commitment across jurisdictions,” Nashville Police Chief Caleb Shockley said. “Every one of these agencies came together with one goal — to protect children, and remove dangerous individuals from our communities.”

The investigation remains active, and additional charges may be forthcoming, officials said.

In addition to the Invictus Task Force, participating agencies included the Nashville Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mount Police Department, Sunset Beach Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Huntersville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the Raleigh Police Department, the Nash County District Attorney’s Office, the Nash County Magistrate’s Office and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation.

Parents and guardians are urged to monitor their children’s online activity and report suspected exploitation to local authorities or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline at cybertipline.org.

ARRESTS

  • Aaron Reshon Murphy, 32: Solicitation of a child by computer; Dissemination of obscenity to a minor; and Solicitation of prostitution to a minor.
  • Adam Abraham Scanlan, 32: Solicitation of a child by computer.
  • Cody Blasiman, 23: First-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (2 counts) and and Disseminating obscenity to a minor under 13 (2 counts).
  • Daniel Mabe, 42: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
  • Dawson Matthew Memmel, 20: Solicitation of a child by computer; Dissemination of obscenity to a minor; and Attempted first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
  • Dennis Paul Corbett, 86: Solicitation of a child by computer (2 counts).
  • Jairo Flores, 25: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (10 counts).
  • James Onofrio, 61: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor; Third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (10 counts); Carrying a concealed gun; and Resisting a public officer.
  • Jeremy Prashaw: Disclosure of private images of an adult and and Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (10 counts).
  • John Clay Harris, 64: Dissemination of obscenity to a minor.
  • Michael Clark Williams, 75: Solicitation of a child by computer (2 counts) and and Attempted first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (2 counts).
  • Nezar Ghaleb Ghaleb, 28: Solicitation of a child by computer; Solicitation by computer; Indecent liberties with a child; Attempted statutory rape of a child under 15; and Third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (13 counts).
  • Nicholas Lee Bryson, 34: Sexual activity by a parent/custodian (4 counts) and and Fugitive from Broward County, Fla. — sexual battery familial or custodial/lewd and lascivious molestation.
  • Raymond Hunter Robson, 63: Solicitation of a child by computer and and Dissemination of obscenity to a minor.
  • Salvador Galaviz, 40: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (3 counts).
  • William Manning, 18: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (4 counts).

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