Over a dozen arrested for child exploitation crimes

By News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I (WLNE) – The Rhode Island State Police announced the arrest of 13 subjects for child exploitation crimes, following Operation Guardian.

 During a two day operation, undercover members of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, utilized 16 different social media apps and on-line ads to communicate with the suspects. 

The suspects believed they were communicating with children ages 13-15 and arranged to meet with the purported children to engage in various sexual acts at a pre-determined location. 

After the two days, those  13 individuals were arrested with several additional arrests possible, according to police. 

Jose Carrion, Kevin Cooney, Anthony Gomes, Michael Johnson, James Jolly, Paul Kimata, David King, Yuhua Kong, Stephen Lomastro, Muhammed Malik, Emmet Mann, and Manna Mahuri were all re-arraigned on Wednesday at Sixth Division District Court. 

All but Jose Carrion received $5,000 personal recognizance with special bail conditions of limited internet use and no unsupervised contact with minors. 

Carrion received a $5,000 surety bail with the same conditions.  

Tomy Fitton was re-arraigned on Monday at Sixth Division District Court and issued a $50,000 surety bail with special bail conditions of limited internet use and no unsupervised contact with minors.

Fitton was held as a probation violator and is also a sex offender in Massachusetts, but his registration requirement expired in July of 2019, according to police. 

A person found guilty of Indecent Solicitation of a child will face prison time for no less than 5 years. 

“We’d like to send a strong message to these child predators. We will use all available resources and will go to any lengths to find you, to arrest you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Colonel Manni of the Rhode Island State Police.

©WLNE-TV/ABC6 2020