Arrest Made In Internet Sex Sting

On February 1, 2008, members of the Riverside County SPIDER Task Force (Sexual Predator Internet Decoy Enforcement in Riverside) executed a Search and an Arrest Warrant in the City of Chula Vista. SPIDER is multi-agency county Task Force designed to combat on-line sexual predators.

Ernesto Hermosillo was taken into custody at about 7:00 am at his residence in Chula Vista. Hermosillo lives in the1300 block of Misty Ridge Place. He was held on a $50,000 arrest warrant for sending harmful matter to a minor and having sexually explicit conversation with a minor on the internet.

"This arrest demonstrates the County of Riverside's resolve to apprehend sexual predators preying on our youth on the Internet," said Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone.

Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco had this to say, "Successful investigations and arrests like these would not be possible without the SAFE Team and the support of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors."

In December 2007, an investigation began when Hermosillo started to chat on-line with an individual who he believed was a 13 year old female. Instead, Hermosillo was actually chatting with an undercover officer from Riverside, CA. During these chatting sessions, Hermosillo engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the undercover officer and Hermosillo eventually sent Harmful matter to the undercover officer.

Based upon the chats and the images sent from Hermosillo, a Search Warrant was issued for Hermosillo's home and his computers. Additionally, an arrest warrant was issued for Hermosillo's arrest for Sending Harmful Matter to a minor and Engaging a minor in sexually explicit conversation, both felonies.

The investigation is still on-going and additional charges may be added after a forensic exam is completed on Hermosillo's computer and related media devices.

Any further information on this investigation will be available by calling the Department Media Relations office at 951-955-5626.