West Hills man arrested for trying to meet a minor for sex after civilian-led online decoy operation

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KEYT) – On Monday, a 47-year-old West Hills man was arrested for arranging to meet a minor for sex after being lured to a Simi Valley home by a civilian-operated online decoy operation.

On April 13, around 7:45 p.m., officers were dispatched to a home in the 1800 block Caballero Street for a sex crime investigation that involved a civilian-led online decoy operation stated a press release from the Simi Valley Police Department Tuesday.

The organization lured the man, later identified as a 47-year-old West Hills man, to the location after they matched with him on an online dating website and stated they were a 15-year-old girl explained the Simi Valley Police Department.

The 47-year-old was detained immediately after arriving at the home and placed into a patrol vehicle noted the Simi Valley Police Department.

According to Simi Valley Police, the West Hills man and the person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl communicated through the dating app, via text messages, and using Snapchat.

The decoy clearly stated they were a minor during the conversation and the 47-year-old suspect continued to communicate before the conversation became sexual in nature and the participants agreed to meet for sex detailed the Simi Valley Police Department.

Officers received digital evidence of the crime, including texts and "additional materials" from the civilian organization, seized the man's cell phone for evidence, and the 47-year-old declined to provide a statement at the scene explained the Simi Valley Police Department.

The Simi Valley Police Department shared the 47-year-old was arrested and booked on violation of Penal Code 288.4(b)-Arranging to Meet a Minor for Lewd Purposes and no actual minors were ever involved in the incident.