Detectives with the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have arrested 28 year old Anthony Hale-Rodriguez of Clovis.
He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail and faces charges of distributing pornography to a minor and arranging to meet with a minor to engage in sex. His bail is set at $65,000.
As part of their regular duties, ICAC detectives monitor social media platforms for potential sexual solicitations toward children. In this case, Anthony Hale-Rodriguez unknowingly contacted an undercover detective. The 6’4”, 310 lb. man expressed a desire to rape young girls and made requests to meet with them in person. Detectives were able to determine Hale-Rodriguez lived at an apartment complex on the 1300 block of Minnewawa Avenue in Clovis. Law enforcement officers went there Tuesday night and arrested Hale-Rodriguez without any problems. Detectives served a search warrant at his home and recovered electronic devices that will be analyzed for illegal material. Some firearms were also seized.
Law enforcement would like to remind the public to be vigilant when it comes to visiting websites and social media outlets. Parents should also monitor their children’s internet usage and be aware of the software apps they are using. Parents should keep the dialogue open with their children in order to build trust. Online predators often pretend to be someone else in order to lure their victims in and take advantage of them. Teach children to be wary of the person on the other end of the chat line; many times people are not who they say they are. Report any suspicious behavior right away to law enforcement or file a cyber tip through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. https://report.cybertip.org/
ICAC is comprised of 64 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies spread throughout nine counties in the Central Valley. It is dedicated to protecting children online and investigating crimes committed against children, which are facilitated by the Internet and computer usage.
