Eight more men arrested in Rancho Cucamonga teen sex sting that included Banning school official
Investigators Tuesday named eight more men who are suspected of attempting to lure a minor for sexual acts in an operation that already resulted in the arrest of Banning school administrator Charles Mayer.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department conducted an operation called “Operation Safe Child” in which detectives created a social media account posing as a 14-year-old boy. The sheriff’s department said in a press release that the suspects initiated conversations with who they thought was the boy, but was actually a detective or detectives.
The eight additional men arrested on suspicion of attempting to lure a minor for sexual acts are:
- Daen Al-Kubaisi, 29, Rancho Cucamonga
- Javier Armijo, 44, Wildomar
- Jamie Bosworth, 36, Yucca Valley
- Anthony Pedregon, 25, Rancho Cucamonga
- Dave Quinn, 47, Stanton
- Christopher Ramirez, 37, Upland
- Shadi Al-Abdual Razaq, 33, Rancho Cucamonga
- Roberto Silva, 52, Rancho Cucamonga
Officials said detectives and the suspects sent messages back and forth, and everyone aside from Pedregon sent nude photos of themselves to the account they thought belonged to the boy. The sheriff’s department also said each suspect agreed to meet at a public place where they believed they would engage in sexual acts with a minor. They agreed to meet in Rancho Cucamonga, at various parks and public parking lots.
The release said Ramirez was arrested on Aug. 10. He was found to be a registered sex offender and was on felony probation in Los Angeles County for similar acts. He has been convicted in the recent case of meeting a minor for sexual acts and was sentenced to three years in state prison.
Armijo was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center on Aug. 14, the release said. The sheriff’s department said Armijo drove to Rancho Cucamonga from Wildomar and remains in custody with a bail of $275,000. Detectives said he is a teacher by trade who had previously taught in the Temecula Valley area, but is not currently employed at any school. He is scheduled to appear at Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court on Sept. 12.
Al-Abdual Razaq, Silva and Bosworth were separately arrested and booked into West Valley Detention Center on Aug. 15. Al-Abdual Razaq was released from custody on Aug. 17 and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 17. Silva and Bosworth remain in custody with bail of $250,000 each. Both have a scheduled next court date of Sept. 12.
Mayer, who is on administrative leave from his role as dean of students at Nicolet Middle School, was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center on Aug. 17 after he drove to Rancho Cucamonga from Banning. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 26. He’s also on “inactive leave” as a Roman Catholic priest, the Los Angeles Archdiocese said last week.
Quinn was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center on Aug. 21 after he drove from Yorba Linda to Rancho Cucamonga, the release said. Officials said Quinn discussed taking who he believed was a minor back to his motel room in Yorba Linda. He remained in custody with a $600,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Pedregon and Al-Kubaisi were separately arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention center on Aug. 22. Both were still in custody. Pedregon has a bail of $250,000, while Al-Kubaisi’s bail is $350,000. Both are scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 4.
“Through the various investigations, detectives are concerned that all of the suspects may have previously met with and engaged in sexual acts with other teenage boys in various cities throughout Southern California,” the statement said, adding anyone with additional information on the suspects can anonymously call the WeTip Hotline at 1-800-782-7463.