4 Arizona men indicted in online child sexual exploitation case

Four Arizona men have been indicted in connection to an online child sexual exploitation scheme, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

The men were identified by the agency as Jonathan Javier Esquer Mendivil, Lorenzo Ryan Ramirez, Brandon Allen Wycoff, and Kenneth Edward Nelson. 

All are charged on suspicion of luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, sexual exploitation of a minor, solicitation to commit child sex trafficking, and attempted sexual conduct with a minor, according to an Attorney General's news release.

Their ages and cities of residence were not immediately available.

The indictments are the result of an online undercover investigation in to child sexual exploitation that  led to previous indictments, the agency said.

The investigation is a joint effort between the Mesa Police Department, Tempe Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations, in cooperation with the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the news release said.

The undercover operation ran from late January through early February 2019, and targeted individuals who used the internet to lure children for sexual exploitation and were interested in engaging in sex acts with, according to the news release.
  
Nelson, whose photo was not immediately available, was charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of solicitation to commit child sex trafficking.

Mendivil, Ramirez, and Wycoff were charged with one count each of luring a minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sexual conduct with a minor. 

The investigation is ongoing.