11 men arrested on suspicion of child sex crimes in the Treasure Valley

Law enforcement across the Treasure Valley worked together over the weekend to arrest 11 people in connection to attempted child sex crimes.

Agencies conducted the project, titled Operation Grand Canyon, on Friday, Saturday and early Sunday. Seven suspects face prosecution for state charges and four have been referred for federal charges. They were booked into the Canyon and Ada county jails, according to a news release from the Idaho Attorney General’s Office.

The Idaho Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit supervised the operation.

The following men were arrested:

• Dylan Steele, 24, who has no known address, was arrested Friday. He’s charged federally on suspicion of coercion and enticement and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.
  
  
• Jesus Gonzalez, 20, of Caldwell, was arrested Friday, and he’s charged on suspicion of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
  
  
• John Albjerg, 33, of Nampa, was arrested Friday. He’s charged federally on suspicion of coercion and enticement.
  
  
• Mark W. Sharp, 21, of Boise, was arrested Saturday. He’s charged on suspicion of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
  
  
• Eduardo Arredondo Rivera, 26, of Caldwell, was arrested Saturday. He’s charged on suspicion of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
  
  
• Larry D. Morck, 59, of Meridian, was arrested Saturday. He’s charged federally on suspicion of coercion and enticement and attempted sex trafficking of a child.
  
  
• Reese H. Tolbert, 18, of Meridian, was arrested Saturday. He’s charged on suspicion of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
  
  
• Casey W. Louderman, 22, of Caldwell, was arrested Saturday. He charged on suspicion of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
  
  
• Shawn T. Conaway, 44, of Baker City, Oregon, was arrested Saturday. He’s charged federally on suspicion of attempted sex trafficking of children and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
  
  
• Ryan A. McElroy, 22, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was arrested Sunday. He’s charged on suspicion of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
  
  
• Tyelar A. Guadagno, 37, of Caldwell, was arrested Sunday. He’s charged on suspicion of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.

“Again, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is as proud of the outstanding results of this joint operation as it is dismayed by the tragic circumstances that require such operations in the first place,” said U.S. Attorney Bart Davis in a news release. “We work best to protect children by collaborating with our local Project Safe Childhood partners. This past weekend provides another example of how dedicated law enforcement efforts can combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.”

The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office provided facilities other resources to the state. Other agencies involved in the arrests include the Homeland Security Investigations, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Caldwell Police Department, Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, FBI, Garden City Police Department, Idaho State Police, Nampa Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

“These high-level operations are needed to help remove sexual predators from our streets,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue in a news release. “People need to understand that these predators are out there and they pose a significant risk to children.”

Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is asked to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-334-4527, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.

This story was originally published November 5, 2018 at 2:50 PM.