A dozen New Jersey men — including a middle school teacher and a youth program coordinator — were arrested in a sweeping child-sex sting dubbed “Operation Bad Santa,” authorities announced.
The suspects, ranging in age from 23 to 65, were taken into custody after allegedly attempting to lure minors for sexual activity and traveling to a Middlesex County residence believing they were meeting a child. Instead, they were met by law enforcement, prosecutors said.
The multi-day undercover operation ran from Dec. 8 through Dec. 15 and was led by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. Investigators said undercover officers posed as minors during online conversations on social media and messaging platforms, directing the suspects to the meeting location where arrests were made.
Most of the defendants face charges of second-degree luring and third-degree attempted endangering sexual conduct with a child — serious felonies that carry the potential for state prison sentences if convicted.
Those charged include Delpis Reynoso-Castro, 26, of New Brunswick; Marcos Aguila, 57, of East Brunswick; Jose Leguia, 57, of Old Bridge; Hareshkumar “Harry” Vala, 44, of Dunellen; Vedant Khandelwal, 38, of Bridgewater; Kevin Knox, 65, of North Brunswick; Cameron Ameye, 33, of Bloomingdale; and Joseph Davicsin, 46, of East Brunswick.
Jorge Mora, 52, of Jackson, and Akash Shah, 23, of East Brunswick, were additionally charged with distributing obscene material to a minor, prosecutors said. Raul Angeles, 53, of Asbury Park, and James Keating, 59, of Edison, were charged with attempted endangering sexual conduct with a child, with Keating facing an extra count of distributing obscene material to a minor.
Authorities said two of the defendants held positions of trust involving young people. Ameye worked as a program coordinator for Youth Rise, an academic readiness and career pathways program at Passaic County Community College, while Davicsin was employed as a middle school teacher in Elizabeth. Their employers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Davicsin’s attorney, Michael Chazen, said his client maintains his innocence and urged the public not to rush to judgment. Attorneys for Angeles and another defendant declined to comment, while lawyers for the remaining men did not respond to inquiries.
The operation involved multiple Middlesex County police departments, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.
Officials emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Authorities also warned parents to remain vigilant about their children’s online activity, noting that cases of online child exploitation often increase during the holiday season.