“Thank you to all the agencies and officers who participated in this operation in an effort to help protect our children from sexual predators.  It’s difficult for parents to be everywhere at all times with their children and know what’s happening on their electronic devices.  We appreciate these types of investigations and operations.”

– CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

FRESNO – On December 22, 2025, the Fresno Cunty Sheriff’s Office announce the arrest of 21 men booked into the Fresno County Jail on various charges related to arranging to meet with a child for sex. The suspects range in age from 21 to 66. The arrests are a result of the undercover effort called “Operation Naughty or Nice”, which was a multi-agency operation conducted from December 18–21, 2025. Some arrestees have since posted bond, been assigned a court date and released from custody.

Law enforcement officers from 17 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies participated in the operation.  They are as follows:

-Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force

-Fresno County Sheriff’s Office

-Madera County Sheriff’s Office

-Fresno Police Department

-Clovis Police Department

-Sanger Police Department

-Kerman Police Department

-Kingsburg Police Department

-Reedley Police Department

-California Highway Patrol

-California Department of Justice

-Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

-Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC)

-Fresno County Probation Adult Compliance Team (ACT)

-Fresno County District Attorney’s Office

-Merced County District Attorney’s Office

According to the Fresno Sheriff’s Office, the basis for launching the operation is that children’s use of electronic devices and social media is higher than ever. A potential danger of being online more often is having an encounter with a sexual predator who is seeking out relationships with children.

To combat the problem, detectives constructed an operation to identify, contact and arrest anyone who may be trying to target a child for sex. Detectives posed as preteen and early teenage old boys and girls to use technology against these predators and safeguard children. During the investigations, these suspects used sexually explicit language and sent graphic photos to the detective pretending to be a child. All of the suspects were first to express their sexual desires and they initiated a time to meet with the detective posing as a child. Once they arrived to the locations, officers arrested them. No actual children were ever used or placed into danger during the operation.

In 2020, a similar operation was conducted, titled “COVID Chat Down.” It lasted 14 days and resulted in 34 arrests. In 2022, Operation H.O.O.K. resulted in 19 arrests over four days. During Operation Boogeyman in 2023, 14 arrests were made in three days.

Operation Naughty or Nice remains an ongoing investigation and more arrests could be made.