BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — An employee with the California Correctional Health Care Services and a California Highway Patrol officer were just two out of 15 people arrested during an undercover operation targeting online child predators, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Special Victim's Unit.
KCSO said for several months now, its SVU has been working to target online predators, especially with the coronavirus pandemic leaving more children vulnerable to sexual exploitation and grooming by predators.
During the operation, CCHCS employee Ricardo Mancillas, 54, and CHP Officer Brian Pardue, 51, were arrested for related charges.
According to KCSO, Mancillas was arrested when he arrived to meet a detective posing as a minor. He's facing charges including meeting with a minor, arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts and contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts.
Pardue was arrested during the execution of a search warrant. He's facing charges of contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts and arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts.
Pardue is no longer employed by the CHP. The CHP released this statement:
“The CHP is aware of the arrest of Officer Brian Pardue by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office for alleged behavior that occurred while the employee was off duty. The CHP continues to fully cooperate with the investigating agency and we are conducting our own investigation into the allegations. I want to assure the public that we take any allegation of misconduct by our employees, whether on or off duty, very seriously.
“I also want to emphasize to the public that the alleged conduct of this employee does not reflect the values, hard work, dedication and professionalism of the CHP and its more than 11,000 employees, who proudly work each day to provide the best in Safety, Service, and Security to the people of California.”
The operation involved undercover detectives, posing as minor children through various online applications and websites. The detectives were contacted and solicited by individuals interested in the sexual exploitation of children.
In total 15 people were arrested ranging from ages 21 to 54 years old, including two registered sex offenders. The following is a list of those arrested and the charges they are facing:
*The Kern County Sheriff's Office originally reported Mancillas as an employee with the California Department of Corrections. The CDCR corrected this, saying he is an employee with the California Correctional Health Care Services,*
5/20/2020
Devon Gary Armstrong (25) Bakersfield, CA
PC 288.2(a)(1), Send harmful matter to minor
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
PC 647.6(a), Annoying a minor
6/3/2020
Noah Richard Gause (21) Bakersfield, CA
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
6/3/2020
Ricardo Mancillas (54) Bakersfield, CA - CCHCS Employee
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
6/15/2020
Jeffrey Chad Perez (30) Lake Isabella, CA
PC 288.2(a)(1), Send harmful matter to minor
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
6/15/2020
Mathew Porcho (35) Bakersfield, CA
PC 288.2(a)(1), Send harmful matter to minor
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
6/18/2020
Anthony Charles Morales (27) Bakersfield, CA
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
6/18/2020
Gene Allen Brimage (45) Bakersfield, CA
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
6/23/2020
Albert Wesley Blankenship (49) Roseburg, Oregon
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
PC 647(b), Prostitution
6/27/2020
Edgar Ubay Mati Jr. (30) Bakersfield, CA
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
6/27/2020
Miguel Martinez (29) Bakersfield, CA
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
7/03/2020
Michael Swayne Peterson (26) Arvin, CA
PC 288.2(a)(1), Send harmful matter to minor
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
7/03/2020
Brian Pardue (51) Bakersfield, CA - CHP Officer
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
7/7/2020
Edward Daniel Gonzales (44) Bakersfield, CA - 290 registrant
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(2), Arranging a meeting as sex offender with prior conviction
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
7/8/2020
Donald Lee Self (44) Bakersfield, CA - 290 registrant
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(2), Arranging a meeting as sex offender with prior conviction
PC 288.4(b), Meeting with a minor
7/17/2020
Everado Viramontes (42) Delano, CA
PC 288.3(a), Contacting a minor with the intent to perform lewd acts
PC 288.4(a)(1), Arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd acts
