Overview
- Bloomington police said a three-day operation that began Nov. 5 led to 16 arrests of men who allegedly tried to solicit a 17-year-old through decoy communications.
- One arrestee works as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement auditor and could face federal charges, according to Chief Booker Hodges.
- Not all arrestees have been charged, and police said some suspects were taken into ICE custody as the investigation continues.
- The multiagency effort included the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and police from Eden Prairie, Richfield, Roseville, and the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport.
- Police said the men ranged in age from 18 to 49, most were from the Twin Cities area, some brought drugs and firearms, and one had been arrested in a prior sting.