23 arrested for online crimes against children in "Operation Millstone"
"Operation Millstone” was a law enforcement initiative conducted by the Invictus Task Force (ITF) and the Kernersville Police Department and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. During this five-day undercover and online operation, authorities targeted individuals suspected of attempting to engage in sexual activities with minors. The operation resulted in 23 arrests, with the suspects accused of seeking to engage in sexual acts with children.
This operation is part of broader efforts to combat online child exploitation and human trafficking, using undercover techniques to identify and apprehend individuals involved in these illegal activities. Operations like this often involve a combination of online investigations, sting operations, and collaboration between local and regional law enforcement agencies. The ITF is a partnership between The Inviticus Project nonprofit organization, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations.
The sting was conducted from Oct. 23 to Oct. 27 in Davidson County and Forsyth County.
The ITF released this statement:
The Invictus Task Force partners with other agencies as a force multiplier, extending the proverbial net to catch the predators who prowl like lions desiring the flesh of our innocent children. There is no door we won’t kick down and no corner of this state that we won’t search to track down the dregs of society that prey on our children. On behalf of The Invictus Task Force, we extend our most sincere appreciation to all the Sheriffs and Chiefs for allowing their men and women to participate in this operation. Our children are a little safer today due to their efforts and the fact that these predators have been identified and criminally charged. In addition, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our incredible community partners who provided meals, snacks, and drinks over the course of five days to feed the men and women who conducted this operation. Their efforts allowed this valiant team of men and women to work continuously throughout their shifts and increase their efforts.
Investigators discovered that several of the 23 men charged traveled to either county to engage in sex with a person they knew to be a minor through online applications.
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The following people have been charged as a result of the sting operation:
James William Delozier, 62, of Thomasville
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $25,000
Christopher Daniel Hornung, 39, of Kernersville
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Taken into custody after being pulled over near the agreed meeting place
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $25,000
Jonathan William Wingate, 25, of Thomasville
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be 13 years old
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer and felony solicitation of a child for prostitution
Bond set at $50,000
Corey Gage White, 27, of Randleman
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Did not appear at the agreed meeting place, taken into custody at his home
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $50,000
Rogelio Daniel Agredano, 44, of Raleigh
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $75,000
Brandon Craig Fischer, 33, of High Point
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $30,000
Aaron Michael Slaughter, 31, of Lexington
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $25,000
David Lee Clay, 25, of Kannapolis
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody nearby where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of child by computer, felony flee & elude and felony assault on a government official with a deadly weapon
Bond set at $100,000
Michael Paul Washer, 40, of Bethlehem, Georgia
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $125,000
Michael Todd Villines, 54, of Pembroke, Virginia
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl
Did not appear at the agreed meeting place, taken into custody in Virginia
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
No bond set; awaiting extradition
Kevin Arthur Corron, 38, of Asheboro
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Did not appear at the agreed meeting place, taken into custody at his home
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $30,000
Christopher Reid Yountz, 62, of Lexington
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Did not appear at the agreed meeting place, taken into custody at his home
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $25,000
Miterio Jaimes Jaimez, 39, of Hamlet
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody by Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $100,000
Crispen Quintana Rubio, 35, of Lexington
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $25,000
Kyle Andrew Wilder, 35, of China Grove
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer in Forsyth County and charged with a separate count of felony solicitation of a child by computer in Davidson County
Bond set at $20,000
Rogelio Santiago Mendez, 30, of King
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer/appear
Bond set at $15,000
Joshua Martin Flack, 33, of Charlotte
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl
Taken into custody by the US Marshals Service
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer in Davidson County
Bond set at $30,000
William Hasten Steelman, 66, of Advance
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer/appear
No bond set; pretrial release
Timothy Ray Pannell, 42, of Greensboro
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer/appear
No bond set; pretrial release
Robby Dean Charles, 56, of Summerfield
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $10,000
Brandon Lamont Booker, 40 (no permanent residence listed)
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody at the location where he agreed to meet the minor
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $25,000
Kevin Scott Ammons, 30, of Catawba, South Carolina
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody on Nov. 9
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $250,000
John Taylor Gray, 53, of Matthews
Accused of communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl
Taken into custody on Nov. 15
Charged with felony solicitation of a child by computer
Bond set at $250,000
The following law enforcement agencies aided with “Operation Milestone”:
Davie County Sheriff’s Office
Iredell County Sheriff’s Office
Guilford County Sheriff’s Office
New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office
Scotland County Sheriff’s Office
Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office
Rowan County Sheriff’s Office
Archdale Police Department
Thomasville Police Department
Lexington Police Department
Huntersville Police Department
Sanford Police Department
Durham Police Department
Fayetteville Police Department
Mint Hill Police Department
US Army Criminal Investigations Division
US Secret Service
Without the help of local businesses, this operation would not have been as successful. The ITF extends a sincere thank you to the following businesses in several counties:
Lexington BBQ
Southern Lunch in Lexington
West Asheboro Baptist Church
American Roadhouse in Asheboro
Tammy Karnes
Elizabeth’s Pizza in Thomasville
Davidson County Fraternal Order of Police,
Greater Life Church in Locust
Foster Street Wesleyan Church in Asheboro.
