ROWAN CO., NC – Five men are charged with soliciting children for sexual acts over the internet. The arrests are part of a yearlong operation focused on human trafficking in Rowan County. The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office says this was the final phase of a three-part initiative called “Operation Blue Light.” The five men arrested are: 56-year-old Lewis Scott Babbidge of Indian Land, SC, was charged with solicitation of a child by computer and was arrested at his South Carolina home by deputies with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. He was extradited to NC on January 14th and was placed in the Rowan County Jail under a $25,000 secured bond. 43-year-old Oscar Adrian Osorio of Fayetteville, NC.  Osorio, a full-time employee of the United States Army, was charged with solicitation of a child by computer and dissemination of obscene material to a minor. He was taken into custody at Fort Liberty in Fayetteville where he was stationed. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division assisted Rowan County’s detectives who took custody of Osorio and later placed him in the Rowan County Jail under a $20,000 secured bond. 60-year-old Christopher Anthony Carras of Kernersville, NC was charged with solicitation of a child by computer. Carras was arrested as deputies executed a search warrant at his home with the assistance of the Winston Salem Police Department. Carras was placed in the Rowan County Jail under a $400,000 secured bond. 70-year-old Edgar Jack Malcom, of Newberry, South Carolina, was arrested at a home in Salisbury where he showed up, thinking he was going to meet a juvenile and have sex. He was met by sheriff’s deputies, arrested on-site, and charged with solicitation of a child by computer. He was given a $150,000 secured bond. 42-year-old Eric Lukjanczuk, of Lewisville, NC, was charged with solicitation of a child by computer and dissemination of obscene material to a minor. He was given a $20,000 secured bond. According to a news release, the conversations the men had with officers consisted of text messaging, social media instant messaging, and phone calls. They were targeting who they thought were real victims, boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 5. Extensive interviews were conducted with the suspects arrested, and officers have evidence which has led to additional investigation into actual victims of sexual abuse. Specific details are being withheld about this matter due to the ongoing investigation. This undercover chat was the last phase of three during Operation Blue Light. The sheriff’s office set out in October of 2023 to conduct an initiative to learn more about human trafficking issues which directly effected Rowan County. Street prostitution, online prostitution, and child solicitation were all researched and investigated by undercover deputies to see what occurs within the county. In total, the operation took about 3,000 man hours to conduct. The goal was not necessarily to make arrests, but for the agency to become more experienced and educated by taking the time to personally speak with victims and suspects about their circumstances or motives. By learning about the lifestyles and how victims actually become victims, the sheriff’s office can better understand how to address the issues at hand. More than thirty interviews were conducted between the three phases. In October 2023, 15 men were charged with solicitation of prostitution for soliciting an undercover deputy in Salisbury. In March 2024, 9 men and women showed up at a hotel in Salisbury after officers responded to online advertisements, one of which was a juvenile being forced into the sex trade. 33-year-old Kadeem Williams was charged in that matter and plead guilty in Rowan County Superior Court in October of 2024. He is currently in prison serving a minimum of 89 months for promoting prostitution of a minor.