Ten accused predatory children were recently arrested after a multi-agency police operation in March called “Operation Alone at Home”, York County, South Carolina Sheriff Kevin Tolson said Monday.
For several days in March, deputies from the York County Sheriff’s Office, along with police officers from 13 other law enforcement agencies, tracked down alleged child predators pretending to be children online on various social media platforms.
The ten arrested men contacted undercover police officers online and agreed to meet at a location, according to the sheriff’s office.
“These men believed they were traveling to a location to have a sexual encounter with a minor,” York County Sheriff’s Office officials said in a press release on Monday. “The age of the children they thought they were going to have sex with was 10 to 17 years old.
Tolson urged parents to pay attention to their children’s cell phones and Internet activity, as these predators are specifically looking for children to attack.
“The message we need to communicate to parents in our community is that it is extremely important to know what your children are doing on their phones,” said Sheriff Tolson. “Find out what your kids’ passwords are, know what apps they’re using, and check them every now and then to see who they’re talking to in chat rooms or text messages.
*****
RECEIVE THE LATEST NEWS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA IN YOUR INBOX …
*****
The suspects were between 25 and 60 years old and were all from South Carolina and North Carolina.
“I think it is important to understand that these online predators come from all walks of life and all professional backgrounds,” said Tolson
Here is the list of suspects arrested provided by the York County Sheriff’s Office:
- David Medina Osorio,
- AGE: 34
- Williow Wood Lane, Rock Hill, SC
- OCCUPATION: Unemployed
- LOAD (S): Criminal Sexual Conduct with a 2nd Minor Degree, Criminal Request from a Minor
two Donald Dewaine Dorsey
- AGE: 42
- Possum Hollow Road, Indian Land, SC
- OCCUPATION: Unemployed
- LOAD (S): Criminal Sexual Conduct with a 2nd Minor Degree, Criminal Request from a Minor
3 José Jesús Garcia-Arellano
- AGE: 25
- Goldsboro, NC
- OCCUPATION: Unemployed
- COLLECTION (S): Sexual exploitation of minors of the 1st degree, criminal sexual conduct with minors of the 2nd degree, criminal solicitation of minors (X2), disclosure of obscene material for minors under 18
4 Joseph Scott Varalli
- AGE: 30
- York, SC
- OCCUPATION: Unemployed
- CHARGE (S): Criminal Sexual Conduct with Minors of 2nd Degree, Promotion of Prostitution of Minors
5 Keith Alan Gray
- AGE: 44
- China Grove, NC
- OCCUPATION: Unknown
- RATE (S): Criminal solicitation of a minor, Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor – Victim under 11 years of first degree, Sexual exploitation of a minor degree.
6 Michael John Worley
- AGE: 48
- Canton, NC
- OCCUPATION: Construction
- CHARGE (S): Criminal Criminal Conduct with 2 Minor Degree
- ADDITIONAL: North Carolina registered sex offender. He was just released from federal prison in November 2020. Out of house arrest, March 1, 2021.
7 Scott Robert Pless
- AGE: 52
- Rock Hill, SC
- OCCUPATION: Body mechanic
- LOAD (S): Criminal Request for Minors.
8 Walter Glenn Witherspoon
- AGE: 41
- Le Grange, NC
- OCCUPATION: Truck Driver
- CHARGE (S): Criminal Sexual Conduct with Minors of 2nd Degree, Promotion of Prostitution of Minors
9 Dennis James Hastings
- AGE: 60
- Chester, SC
- OCCUPATION: Driver
- RATE (S): Sexual Exploitation of Minors of 1st Degree
10 Nilesh Karthikeya Aleti
- AGE: 29
- Charlotte, NC
- OCCUPATION: Independent software company
- CHARGE (S): Promotion of Child Prostitution
The York County Sheriff’s Office worked with the following agencies in Operation Home Alone: Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations, US Secret Service, York Police Department, Rock Hill Police Department, Fort Mill Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff’s Office Marion County and Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office.
“We want our communities to be secure, we want our Internet to be secure,” said Tolson. “If these suspects had not been identified and arrested talking to a police officer, they would probably be talking to a living child victim.”
The investigation is ongoing. Tolson said more suspects are being identified.
*****
WANT TO TURN OFF THE SOUND?
Is there anything you would like to say in response to one of our stories? We have an open mic policy! Send your own letter to the editor (or guest column) by email HERE. Do you have a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Have a technical question or failure to report? CLICK HERE.