Federal officials announced that 70 individuals were arrested across Mississippi during a two-week Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operation aimed at child exploitation offenders and previously convicted sex offenders, a group that included illegal immigrants.
The operation, named Operation Muddy Waters, involved a collaboration between multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The arrests led to new child exploitation charges, with some individuals accused of crossing state lines to abuse minors and others alleged to be trading child sexual abuse material.
Among those arrested was Cristian Abel Argueta Giron, an individual from Honduras who is allegedly in the U.S. illegally. He is accused of traveling from Tennessee to Mississippi with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Another arrestee, Rahul Mondal, an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh who was reportedly on a student visa at the University of Alabama, is alleged to have communicated with a 14-year-old.
Jose Arevalo Garcia, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was arrested for allegedly being a non-compliant sex offender with a prior conviction for sexual assault in 2010. Enrique Bravo Gonzalez, also an illegal immigrant from Mexico, is accused of being a non-compliant sex offender with a previous felony conviction for a sexual offense against a child in 2022.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of U.S. citizens. Justin Tyler Scott is accused of establishing communication with a 14-year-old male via social media to arrange sex. Yves Jean Baptiste Cook allegedly communicated with a 14-year-old female via social media, sent explicit videos, and requested nude images.
Mittsi Fitch, Mississippi Attorney General, stated that one child was rescued from an ongoing sextortion scheme as a result of the operation. Fitch emphasized the effectiveness of the multi-agency partnership in identifying and apprehending offenders hiding within communities.
Agencies that participated in Operation Muddy Waters include the U.S. Attorney’s offices for the Northern and Southern districts of Mississippi, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshals Service, and sheriff’s offices in Marshall, DeSoto, Harrison, Pearl River, and Forrest counties, along with the Oxford Police Department.
Matthew Reidell, assistant special agent in charge of HSI Gulfport, affirmed the agency's commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable, stating that those who exploit children online will be pursued. He added that HSI will continue collaborating with partners to uncover these crimes and prevent future harm.