Eleven men are facing felony charges after driving to Westfield believing they were about to meet underage girls for sex, only to find undercover officers waiting instead. The three-day operation, run by the Hamilton County Internet Crimes Against Children Metro Task Force, ended Sept. 24; all 11 suspects were booked into the Hamilton County Jail.
According to WIBC 93.1 FM, the men chatted online with people they believed were young girls before driving to Westfield, where undercover officers were waiting for them. Investigators said they gathered digital evidence and statements from the men that support the charges. The task force, headquartered at the Fishers Police Department, ran the operation from Sept. 22 through Sept. 24 with help from police in Greenwood, Lebanon and Westfield, according to LarryInFishers.
Who Was Arrested and What They’re Facing
The suspects range widely in age and hometown. They include 30-year-old Lucky Udoudo of Carmel, 26-year-old El Hadji Babacar Ndiaye of Indianapolis, 28-year-old Sean Conway of Westfield, 21-year-old David Gomez-Posada of Irving, Texas, 31-year-old Simon Cinzah of Indianapolis, 41-year-old Homero Arevalo of Logansport, 25-year-old Darian Foster of Indianapolis, 49-year-old Arvind Kaul of Carmel, 36-year-old Jermas McNeal Jr. of Indianapolis, 38-year-old Michael Podniestrazanski of Indianapolis, and 43-year-old Ricardo Flores of Indianapolis, per the same account.
All 11 face child solicitation charges. Several face additional counts: Flores is also charged with sexual misconduct with a minor and three counts of disseminating harmful material to minors, while Udoudo and Cinzah each face an added charge of sexual misconduct with a minor. McNeal is also charged with resisting law enforcement. Separately, task force filings reviewed by LarryInFishers describe Flores facing Level 4 attempted sexual misconduct with a minor and Level 6 attempted dissemination of harmful matter, with Udoudo and Cinzah each facing Level 4 attempted sexual misconduct counts.
Why the Charges Carry Such Heavy Penalties
The child-solicitation charges concern Indiana Code § 35-42-4-6. All 11 men faced a Level 4 felony count when they arrived at the Hamilton County Jail. Under Indiana’s sentencing structure, a Level 4 felony conviction can bring two to 12 years in prison, with an advisory sentence of six years, plus fines up to $10,000, according to Justia Law…