EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – El Paso Homeland Security Investigations agents helped authorities in New Mexico apprehend eight suspected child sexual predators and issue a warrant for a ninth alleged offender. The suspects used online chat and messaging platforms to arrange for sexual acts with persons they believed to be minors or parents availing their children for such acts, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said. FBI: Online predators forcing children to carve up skin on livestream The detainees include a middle school teacher from Albuquerque, a University of New Mexico graduate research assistant and a Bernalillo County man who wanted to “impregnate” a 15-year-old girl, state and federal officials said at a news conference on Monday. "One of the most horrific crimes the FBI investigates is child exploitation; it’s the reason we pursue these predators so aggressively and in tandem with our law enforcement partners,” said Raul Bujanda, FBI Albuquerque special agent in charge. “Combining resources through such operations sends a unified message that exploiting society’s most vulnerable will not be tolerated, offenders will be caught, and the fullest extent of the law will be applied.”  Smugglers on TikTok: ‘We cross you into the US, 100% guaranteed’ The suspects arrested in Operation Overwatch have been charged with various crimes including child solicitation by electronic communication device, attempted criminal sexual penetration, and sexual exploitation of a child by prostitution. Torrez said the arrests took place last week in the Albuquerque area. Undercover law enforcement agents established decoy social media accounts on digital platforms such as Kik, MocoSpace and Discord. The accounts represented underage personas or parents offering to traffic their children for sex. US passports can now be renewed fully online The agents conducted surveillance on two homes in Albuquerque where the suspects arrived to meet with persons they believed to be minors or their parents. That’s where they were arrested, Torrez said. The detainees included: Rafael Eduardo Rosas; Jonathan M. Rodriguez; Samantha G. Clark; Stephen A. Rhea: Jonmichael Seagroves; Stephen Charles Phillips; Mahmoud Telfah; and Matthew Ray Jaramillo. Agents search woman’s phone, find Telegram chat used by 1,000 smugglers Authorities identified Phillips as a middle-school teacher in Albuquerque. They said he made a post on Fetlife looking for a “baby girl to spoil” and “try new toys out.” Phillips clarified he viewed sexual contact with a child as illegal but allegedly requested photos of a 12-year-old girl, the state Attorney General’s Office said on Monday. He was arrested as he allegedly tried to meet his contact. On Oct. 8, Telfah – a UNM graduate student who teaches classes at the university – allegedly made online contact with an undercover agent he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. The suspect allegedly requested confirmation of the girl’s age and asked her how much she would charge for sexual acts, the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office said. He was arrested as he arrived at one of the homes. MocoSpace user charged with attempted coercion, enticement of minor On Oct. 5, Jaramillo allegedly made contact with a decoy account claiming to be a 15-year-old female via a SkiptheGames ad, the AG’s Office said. Jaramillo allegedly texted the girl outside the site and several times discussed “impregnating” her. Three days later, Jaramillo allegedly discussed sexual acts with the child and arranged to meet at the location where he was apprehended by state law enforcement agents and deputies from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. He has been charged with two felonies. A warrant is pending against Stephen Joseph Rittereiser on a charge of solicitation by electronic communication device of a child 13 to 16 years old. Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border “This enforcement action has effectively removed harmful child predators from our communities, sending a powerful message to those seeking to harm children for their satisfaction. Undoubtedly, it has spared some children from the anguish of being sexually victimized,” added Jason T. Stevens, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso.