A sting that started on Facebook Live ended in a chaotic takedown at the Frankfort Walmart on Thursday, with police arresting a 22-year-old man who allegedly believed he was talking to a minor. One officer was bitten and two others suffered minor injuries in the struggle, according to police.
Arrest at Walmart
Police identified the suspect as Edy Fernando Gonzalez Hernandez, 22, and said he traveled from Indianapolis to the Frankfort store. According to officers, two responders arrived to find an active fight involving a female decoy and the suspect. During the scuffle, Gonzalez Hernandez allegedly bit one officer on the arm.
The bitten officer was treated and released from IU Health Frankfort Hospital. Officers say they used a taser and oleoresin capsicum spray to finally incapacitate the suspect before taking him into custody, according to the Frankfort Police Department.
Investigation and context
Detectives are being assigned to review the suspect’s alleged communications with a minor, police said. Operations that use undercover “decoy” profiles are a standard tactic for Internet Crimes Against Children task forces as they look for adults who attempt to contact minors online.
Reports of online enticement have surged in recent years, with the CyberTipline logging hundreds of thousands of such reports, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. That volume is one reason law enforcement agencies say they lean on proactive stings instead of waiting for victims to come forward.
What this could mean legally
So far, police have not publicly announced any formal charges. Prosecutors will decide what to file after detectives complete their review of the case.
Federal law criminalizes coercion and enticement of a minor using interstate commerce (18 U.S.C. § 2422), an offense that can carry lengthy prison terms, according to the U.S. Code. Depending on what investigators say they uncover, state laws involving solicitation or related conduct could also come into play.
Frankfort police laid out their account of the Walmart arrest, the officer injuries, the use of the taser and OC spray, and the assignment of detectives in a detailed Facebook post, according to the Frankfort Police Department.
