MARTINEZ — Recent Bay Area arrests involving suspected sex crimes against children were part of a nationwide law enforcement operation that led to 1,700 arrests, authorities revealed in a news release this week.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Broken Heart,” involved 61 task forces, which throughout April and May identified 308 people who allegedly produced child pornography and 357 child sexual abuse victims. In the Bay Area, the operation was led by the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, also known as ICAC.
“Protecting kids online and educating parents on smartphone awareness if a priority for the ICAC Task Force. Our partnerships with local, state and federal agencies allow us to investigate offenders victimizing children anywhere in the world,” said Contra Costa District Attorney senior inspector Darryl Holcombe.
Contra Costa’s ICAC assisted in the arrest of Henry Cordon, 34, of Antioch, who was charged with possessing child porn. Authorities believe Cordon recorded a child being sexually assaulted in Orange Park, Florida, in 2009.
A then-Fremont elementary school teacher, Gerald Jue was also arrested as part of the operation. Jue, a Danville resident, allegedly searched for child porn on the internet, leading to a search of his home computer where more child porn was reportedly found. Jue was charged in federal court, bailed out, and is awaiting trial.
Two other local investigations resulted in the May arrests of Walnut Creek resident William Cashell and Antioch resident Sonny Mitchell, a registered sex offender, in different cases, authorities said.
The Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is managed by the San Jose Police Department. In Contra Costa County, detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Concord and Moraga Police Departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Contra Costa County Probation Department and Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office participate in the task force along with Special Agents from the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Secret Service.
