On Dec. 12, the San Luis Obispo County Counter Human Trafficking Task Force, which consists of investigators from the Sheriff's Office and District Attorney's Office, reportedly conducted an operation aimed at intercepting child sex predators in the city of San Luis Obispo.
Officials say three men were arrested after each had arranged to meet with a person who they believed to be under the age of 15 in a sexual encounter.
Instead, the person the men contacted was an undercover detective, according to authorities.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office reports that 40-year-old Santa Maria resident Genaro Santana Avalos, 42-year-old Santa Maria resident Ernesto Fernandez, and 29-year-old Oceano resident Salvador Mendoza Pille were arrested for arranging to meet with a minor for lewd purposes.
The operation was a collaborative effort between the Santa Maria Police Department, the San Luis Obispo Police Department, and the San Luis Obispo County Probation Department.
