BCSO sting operation leads to three weekend arrests

The Boundary County Sheriff’s Office concluded a three-day undercover operation June 7 resulting in the arrest of three out-of-county adult males on charges related to child exploitation. 

BCSO detectives used confidential informants to pose as minor children on the dating app Badoo. Three men, from Spokane, Wash., Montana and Rathdrum, Idaho, each independently solicited the dating profiles with sexual text messages and drove to Boundary County with intent to meet up with the girls, according to court affidavits. 

But when the men arrived at the meetup spot, police intercepted the individuals to conduct a felony stop and place them under arrest for one or both of attempted kidnapping and enticing a child under 16 years of age, according to court criminal complaints. 

“This wasn’t anything driven by a case,” said Boundary County Sheriff Travis Stolley. “This was us being proactive to catch the bad guys. It’s the accumulation of a couple months of effort and coordination.” 

The operation was conducted with critical support from the U.S. Marshals Service, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho Law Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, and Veterans for Child Rescue. 

Stolley said the operation highlights how Boundary County is not immune to online predators, and BCSO will continue prioritizing the safety of children.

“It’s also imperative for parents to be involved in kids’ cellphone use and social media accounts, to supervise digital access,” Stolley said. 

In addition to the three men taken into custody, BCSO has multiple ongoing investigations into suspects facing over 20 more pending child exploitation felony charges. 

“These guys found us,” Stolley said. “They are predators who want to find kids.” 

The arrested man from Spokane, Jose Estrada-Campuzano, has a felony warrant for drug trafficking charges in Texas. His legal citizenship status is currently under investigation by U.S. Border Patrol and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. 

Stolley said he was unable to speak toward what ICE may do to Estrada-Campuzano.