The North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and FBI Dallas Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force announce the conclusion of Operation Janus, a month-long operation aimed at the rescue of children across North Texas who are victims of online sexual exploitation.

Starting on January 16, 2023, and continuing through February 10, 2023, law enforcement agencies across North Texas brought together highly skilled computer crimes investigators to focus resources on the identification and rescue of children in our communities who fall prey to the darkness of online predators. These investigators partnered together, dedicating their days and nights to seeking out child victims and apprehending abusers trafficking illegal images and videos of children forced into sexual acts.

Operation Janus resulted in the rescue of 28 children from online sexual abuse, and more than 80 criminal charges filed against 59 offenders. In addition to the arrests, investigators seized terabytes of data and electronic devices used during the commission of these crimes. The evidence is being examined forensically and may lead to the investigation of other offenders.

Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said, “The people charged as a result of this operation preyed on some of our most vulnerable, our children. I applaud the dedication of these task force groups, including members of the Dallas Police Department, to bring these suspects to justice. We will never stop working to identify, locate and apprehend these predators to make our community safer for our children.”

“The FBI is committed to doing everything in our power to protect the most innocent amongst us, our children. We’re able to achieve this through our law enforcement partnerships at the federal, state, and local level. We work together every day to identify and apprehend online predators targeting children. Operation Janus allowed us to collectively support each other by sharing resources and intelligence to catch predators in the act. It also allowed us to recover children and protect them from further harm,” said FBI Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Dwyer.

“The innocence of children must be protected at all costs. I am proud of the work we do to collectively bring to justice those who seek to harm our children through online means and for the rescue of these children from future abuse as we work to bring safety, healing, and justice to these victims and their families,” said Ed Drain, Chief of the Plano Police Department.

Operation Janus is an excellent example of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together to bring to justice to predators who seek to harm our children using online sources.

As a result of this operation, our communities are safer today.

The North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes members of the Dallas Police Department, the FBI Dallas Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Plano Police Department were assisted by the Abilene Police Department, Alaska State Troopers, Allen Police Department, Carrollton Police Department, Collin County District Attorney, Cooke County Sheriff’s Office, Dallas County District Attorney, Denton Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, Farmers Branch Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Frisco Police Department, Gaines County Sherriff’s Office, Garland Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department, Grayson County Sherriff’s Office, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Hopkins County Sherriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations- Dallas, Irving Police Department, Lubbock Police Department, McKinney Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, Pilot Point Police Department, Prosper Police Department, Rockwall Police Department, Royse City Police Department, Sachse Police Department, Seagraves Police Department, Seminole Police Department, Texas Rangers, The Colony Police Department, White Settlement Police Department, Wise County Sherriff’s Office, and Wylie Police Department.

The agencies would like to thank the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and their dedicated team of Analysts for their assistance in working tirelessly to help stop the exploitation of children online.

For additional information, please contact the following:

Dallas Police Department Assistant Director – Public Information Officer Kristin Lowman, (214) 671-4065

FBI Public Affairs Officer Melinda Urbina, (972) 559-5629

Plano Police Department Public Information Officer Jennifer Chapman, (972) 941-2433

UPDATE: Below are those formally charged so far in the operation. Some individuals are in custody but charges are pending. Additional names and charges to be released.

Mickail Dukes, Manifestation of Prostitution Dallas PD

Brandon Froning, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD

Justin Peters, Possession of Child Pornography Garland PD

Noah Craver, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD

Vincent Hammack, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD

Joshua Drake, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD

Michael A. Newhouse, Jr. Possession of Child Pornography Possession of Lewd Visual Material Texas DPS

Michael W. Newhouse, Sr. Possession of Child Pornography Texas DPS

Michael Sinnreich, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD

Ernest Martinez, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD

Isaac Hernandez, Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD

Marcus Lugo, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD

Juan Juarez, Promotion of Child Pornography Wylie PD

Jesse McFall, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD/Denton PD

Eduardo Ramirez, Receiving/Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD

Jesse Giesbrecht, Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography Seminole County Sheriff’s Office/FBI

Ubaydah Fadel, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD

Ivan Hernandez, Sexual Assault of a Child Dallas PD

Ralph Brooks Brown, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD

Anthony Johnson, Possession with Intent to Promote with Prior Conviction Dallas PD

Nathan Abramovich, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD

JUVENILE, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD

Corey Smith Shaw, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD

Nathanel Black, Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD

Steve Martin, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD

Tracey Couey, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD

Ramiro Mendoza, Lara Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD

Charles Stanfiel, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD

Edward Rodriquez, Online Solicitation of a Minor Abilene PD

JUVENILE, Possession of Child Pornography with Intent to Promote Wylie PD

Shemar Green, Possession of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography FBI-Lubbock/Snyder PD

Cassidy Lush, Distribution of Child Pornography FBI – Lubbock

David Espinoza, Possession of Child Pornography FBI – Lubbock

Jonathan Paige, Kidnapping/Sex Assault of a Child Plano PD

Christopher Berger, Promotion of Child Pornography Dallas PD

Justin Wyly, Possession of Child Pornography Hopkins County SO

James Wilborn, Indecency with a Child Dallas PD

Thomas Dobbs, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD

Craig Schamberger, Online Solicitation Fort Worth PD, White Settlement PD

Jason Till, Production of Child Pornography Homeland Security Investigations

Pipino Alfredo Castelan Diaz, Solicitation of Prostitution o fa Minor

Irving Woods, Online Solicitation Fort Worth PD/Alaska State Troopers/US Secret Service

Demon Driver, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD

Joseph Sterle, Possession of Child Pornography DPS-Texarkana

Stephen Benzenhafer, Online Solicitation of a Minor Plano PD

Silvestre Diaz, Indecent Assault Wylie PD

Juan Blaylock, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD

Maximillian Arya, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD

Juvenile, Bestiality Garland PD

Juvenile, Publish Intimate Visual Material Wylie PD

Gary Mathis, Promotion of Child Pornography Dallas PD

Anthony Garza, Misdemeanor Charge Lubbock PD

Haseeb Memon, Possession with Intent to Promote Child Pornography Wylie PD

Sierra Hendry, Bestiality Dallas PD

Rit Tran, Distribution of Child Pornography, FBI – Dallas

Javier Montano, Sex Abuse of a Child, Fort Worth PD