A middle school teacher and a youth program coordinator are among a group of New Jersey men accused of trying to lure and meet a minor for sex following a wide-ranging undercover sting, prosecutors announced.
According to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, a total of 12 men were arrested during a multi-agency investigation in which undercover officers posed as children on social media platforms and messaging apps. Authorities say the suspects, ranging in age from 23 to 65, engaged in explicit conversations and then showed up expecting to meet a child.
Instead, they were met by law enforcement.
The arrests took place over several days between Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, after the men allegedly arrived at a residence believing a minor would be there. Officials said the operation was dubbed “Operation Bad Santa.”
The investigation was led by the prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and involved multiple local police departments, along with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Most of the suspects were charged with second-degree luring and third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child. Those defendants 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.
Additional suspects face related charges. Jorge Mora, 52, of Jackson, and Akash Shah, 23, of East Brunswick, were charged with attempted distribution of obscene material to a minor. Raul Angeles, 53, of Asbury Park, was charged with attempted endangering the welfare of a child. James Keating, 59, of Edison, faces both attempted endangering charges and attempted distribution of obscene material to a minor.
Prosecutors said Ameye is a program coordinator with Youth Rise, an academic readiness and career pathways program at Passaic County Community College, while Davicsin is a middle school teacher in Elizabeth. Their employers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Davicsin’s attorney said his client maintains his innocence and urged the public not to rush to judgment. Attorneys for other defendants either declined to comment or could not be reached.
Authorities emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
These people are full of demons.Hope they see the light and turn to Christ