SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. - Sierra Vista police led an investigation tht led to nine arrests of suspects accused of sexually exploitating children.
The operation that lasted several weeks and involved the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, Arizona Department of Public Safety and Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement targeted suspects who used websites and social media to commit crimes against children, including luring minors for sex acts or coaxing them to take sexually explicit photos.
Arrests included:
Hereford resident Wayne Hawkins was arrested without incident at about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12. He was booked into the Cochise County Jail on charges of aggravated luring a minor for sexual exploitation, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sexual conduct with a minor. Sierra Vista resident Kevin Echternach was arrested without incident at about 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13. He was booked into the Cochise County Jail on charges of aggravated luring a minor for sexual exploitation, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sexual conduct and with a minor. Chandler resident Joshua Davilla was arrested after a pursuit that began in Sierra Vista and ended in Tombstone at about 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13. He was booked into the Cochise County Jail on charges of aggravated luring a minor for sexual exploitation, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, attempted sexual conduct with a minor, felony flight from law enforcement, and endangerment. Sierra Vista resident Aaron Michael Garner was arrested by detectives from the Arizona Department of Public Safety without incident on Friday, Feb. 15, at about 5:45 p.m. He was booked into Cochise County Jail on charges of luring a minor for sexual exploitation. Sierra Vista resident Toefilo Lopez Jr. was arrested without incident on Friday, Feb. 15, at about 7:45 p.m. He was booked into the Cochise County Jail on charges of luring a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sexual conduct with a minor. Sierra Vista resident Alexandru Dumtrascu was arrested without incident on Saturday, Feb. 16, at about 9 p.m. He was booked into Cochise County Jail on charges of aggravated luring a minor for sexual exploitation, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, and attempted sexual conduct with a minor. Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrested three additional individuals as part of this operation. These individuals were processed and transported to the U.S. District Court in Tucson.
Sierra Vista police
