Eleven men were arrested during a three-day undercover online operation aimed at people trying to meet children for sex. The Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the arrests Tuesday.
The task force is headquartered at the Fishers Police Department. It ran the operation Sept. 22-24 with detectives from the Greenwood and Lebanon police departments and help from the Westfield Police Department.
According to the task force, each man arranged online to meet someone he believed was a young girl and drove to a location in the Westfield area. Undercover police officers were waiting for them there.
“With digital evidence as well as admissions by the suspects it was unmistakable that these men were at the location with the intent to sexually abuse children,” the release stated. “The results of this operation solidify the need to be ever vigilant in the protection of our most vulnerable population.”
All 11 were charged with child solicitation, a Level 4 felony, and taken to the Hamilton County Jail. Some face more charges. Police said the investigation is still active and the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office may file more charges.
Those arrested:
- Ricardo Flores, 43, of Indianapolis, also charged with attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony, and attempted dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, a Level 6 felony
- Lucky Udoudo, 30, of Carmel, also charged with attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony
- El Hadji Babacar Ndiaye, 26, of Indianapolis
- Sean Conway, 28, of Westfield
- David Josue Gomez-Posada, 21, of Texas
- Simon Cinzah, 31, of Indianapolis, also charged with attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony
- Homero Madrigal Arevalo, 41, of Logansport
- Darian Foster, 25, of Indianapolis
- Arvind Kumar Kaul, 49, of Carmel
- Jermas McNeal Jr., 36, of Indianapolis, also charged with resisting law enforcement, a misdemeanor
- Michael Podniestrzanski, 38, of Indianapolis
Criminal charges are only accusations. Everyone charged is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Detectives thanked the undercover officers and the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office for their work during the operation.
The task force includes detectives from the Fishers, Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville, Greenfield and Anderson police departments, the Hamilton County and Madison County sheriff’s offices, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It investigates internet crimes against children and child exploitation cases in Hamilton, Hancock, Madison and Tipton counties.