A dozen men in New Jersey—some as young as 23 and others in their mid‑60s—were arrested in what police describe as a “sweeping child‑sex sting” called Operation Bad Santa. The arrests occurred over a week in December (Dec. 8‑15) and were the result of a coordinated effort by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, local police departments, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Undercover officers posed as children on social‑media platforms and messaging apps. They lured the suspects into a residence in Middlesex County where officers were waiting. Each man had allegedly tried to set up a meeting with a minor for sexual purposes, but instead of meeting a child, they were apprehended by law enforcement.
The men face serious felony charges. Most are charged with second‑degree luring and third‑degree attempted endangerment of sexual conduct with a child—counts that carry the possibility of state prison time. In addition, two defendants are charged with distributing obscene material to a minor.
Suspect list
- Delpis Reynoso‑Castro (26, New Brunswick)
- Marcos Aguila (57, East Brunswick)
- Jose Leguia (57, Old Bridge)
- Hareshkumar “Harry” Vala (44, Dunellen)
- Vedant Khandelwal (38, Bridgewater)
- Kevin Knox (65, North Brunswick)
- Cameron Ameye (33, Bloomingdale)
- Joseph Davicsin (46, East Brunswick)
- Jorge Mora (52, Jackson)
- Akash Shah (23, East Brunswick)
- Raul Angeles (53, Asbury Park)
- James Keating (59, Edison)
Two of the accused held trusted positions with youth. Ameye worked as a program coordinator for Youth Rise—an academic readiness and career pathways initiative at Passaic County Community College—while Davicsin was a middle school teacher in Elizabeth.
Davicsin’s attorney, Michael Chazen, has said his client maintains his innocence and urged the public not to make judgments before a court decision. Attorneys for Angeles and Keating declined to comment, and the other defendants’ lawyers did not answer requests.
The operation underscores authorities’ continued focus on preventing online child exploitation, especially in the holiday season, and serves as a reminder to parents to monitor their children’s digital activities. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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