The Washington State Patrol reported this morning that 20 people have been booked at the Whatcom County Jail on charges including communication with a minor for immoral purposes and attempted rape of a child.
According to a press release from WSP,
“Law enforcement officers acting in an undercover capacity, communicated on the internet through various websites with individuals interested in having sex with children. The operation generated hundreds of responses. The would-be perpetrators who were arrested in the operation traveled to meet with undercover detectives posing as young girls and boys with the intent to engage in sexual activity with them.”
Investigations are continuing, according to the WSP, and primary crimes being investigated include:
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RCW 9A.44.073 – Rape of a child in the first/second degree – attempt
RCW 9.68A.100 – Commercial sexual abuse of a minor
RCW 9.68A.070 – Possession of depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct
RCW 9.68A.050 – Dealing in depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct
RCW 9.68A.090 – Communication with a minor for immoral purposes
RCW 69.50.4015 – Involving a person under 18 in unlawful controlled substance transaction
RCW 69.50.406 – Distribution to persons under age 18
Included in the group of 20 arrested was Jason Justin Lundberg, age 43, of Ferndale. Lundberg was booked at the Whatcom County Jail at 1:50am Saturday morning and charged with attempted rape of a child in the first/second degree, communication with a minor for immoral purpose (felony), prostituting or patronizing a minor, manufacture or delivery of amphetamine or methamphetamine, delivering a scheduled substance to a minor and involving a person under 18-years-old in unlawful controlled substance transaction.
The list of those arrested as reported by the WSP is as follows.
Aguilar, Aaron A., 26, Bellingham, WA
Anderson, Jaime R., 33, Bellingham, WA
Archer, Marc V., 60, Bellingham, WA
Assink, Simson D., 23, Bellingham, WA
Brown, Christopher M., 39, Bellingham, WA
Chino-Acatitlan, Gilberto, 28, Bow, WA
Fagin, Mark A., 43, Bellingham, WA
Fissori, David L., 40, Bellingham, WA
Garst, Mark E., 57, Deming, WA
Hagens, Chadwin A., 34, Bellingham, WA
Johnson, Steven W., 45, Yakima, WA
Kinley, Aaron L., 26, Bellingham, WA
Lawson, Dillon R., 20, Mt. Vernon, WA
Lundberg, Jason J., 43, Ferndale, WA
Ness, Tanner M., 21, Woodinville, WA
Oritz, James D., 34, Everson, WA
Rickle, George V., 66, Poulsbo, WA
Severson, Mathew A., 51, Bellingham, WA
Weinstein, Jeffrey A., 41, Bellingham, WA
Welch, George M., 26, Bellingham, WA
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Click for more information3 suspects have been identified as having access to 13 children at risk of being abused. Supplemental follow-up investigations are currently underway to identify those children and arrange the appropriate assistance for any abuse they may have been exposed to.
10 “Net Nanny” operations have been conducted by the WSP at various locations around Washington State since 2015 leading to a total of 159 arrests and the rescue of 22 identified child victims.
WSP Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) affiliate, leads the multi-agency “Net Nanny” operations that include participation by federal, state and local law enforcement.