Elementary Teacher Among 10 Arrested In Denver Metro Area Child Predator Sting Operation
DENVER (CBS4) - An undercover operation lasting two days resulted in the arrests of 10 child predator suspects, including a teacher at a school in Denver.
The 10 men were arrested Jan. 20 and 21 on charges of attempted trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude, attempted solicitation of a child for prostitution and attempted sexual assault on a child.
The cases will be prosecuted by the Adams County District Attorney's Office.
Authorities told CBS4 they are concerned because, "We are concerned there may be more victims since one of the suspects picked up in this sting was an elementary school teacher."
David Hocker was a teacher at Warren Village in Denver before he was terminated.
"Obviously it is very concerning. The reason we put that information out in a press release is so that people can know where this individual was at," said Adams County District Attorney Dave Young.
Another suspect arrested is a public school employee but does not have access to children at his job.
Three of the men arrested were in the country illegally from Mexico which means they will face deportation proceedings after their cases move through the court system.
"To protect the most vulnerable in our society, we must be proactive — identifying and apprehending predators who have decided to take advantage of our children," said David A. Thompson, special agent in charge of HSI Denver, in a statement. "HSI is proud to do this important work in collaboration with our state and local partners, who are vital to the success of these missions."
The operation, led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, was assisted by detectives from the Adams County Sheriff's Office, the Commerce City Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol.
PHOTO GALLERY: 10 Child Predator Suspects Arrested
The suspects' names and charges are as follows:
Douglas Burgos (DOB 06/19/86)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
Jason Lee Sauer (01/06/86)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
Wade Donald Smith (DOB 06/23/87)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
- Count 3: Criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child
Surat Suvanprateep (DOB10/31/81)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
Fidel Pete Flores Jr. (DOB 08/30/71)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
- Count 3: Criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child
Rodrigo Estrada-Gonzalez (DOB 07/07/91)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
- Count 3: Criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child
Rene Fuentes (DOB04/16/72)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
- Count 3: Criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child
Jerry Rivera (DOB 01/14/85)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
Jose Alberto Cortez-Camacho (DOB 02/22/93)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Soliciting for child prostitution
- Count 3: Criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child
David Joseph Hocker (DOB 11/10/80)
- Count 1: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 2: Criminal attempt to commit trafficking for sexual servitude
- Count 3: Soliciting for child prostitution
- Count 4: Soliciting for child prostitution
- Count 5: Criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child
- Count 6: Criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child
Additional Information from ICE:
This operation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
