State police say a multi-day undercover operation on Long Island ended with two arrests, after investigators posed as minors online to catch adults allegedly trying to set up sexual encounters.
The suspects, one from West Babylon and another from Norwood, Massachusetts, were taken into custody in Suffolk County and arraigned in the county's First District Court. According to investigators, the sweep focused on people using online platforms to arrange in-person meetings with what they believed were underage victims.
Troop L's Computer Crime Unit led the operation and identified 24-year-old Edwin Antonio Sabillon Jr. of West Babylon and 36-year-old Anik Conley-Das of Norwood, Massachusetts.
Sabillon is charged with attempted rape in the second degree, attempted endangering the welfare of a child and attempted disseminating indecent material to a minor in the first degree. He was arraigned July 17 in Suffolk County First District Court.
Conley-Das faces attempted rape in the second degree and related attempted charges and was arraigned July 18. Anyone with information is asked to contact Troop L at 631-756-3300, according to a press release from the New York State Police.
"The New York State Police remain committed to identifying individuals who exploit children online, protecting vulnerable victims and holding offenders accountable," the agency said in a statement, again citing the New York State Police. Troop L's public information officer is listed as Trooper Brittany Burton, and Major Christopher P. Casale is named as Troop L commander in the release. Authorities describe the arrests as the product of a proactive, multi-day effort that relied on undercover investigators and digital tools to identify people suspected of trying to meet minors.
How The Sting Worked
Investigators say officers went online posing as minors, then interacted with suspects to see who would allegedly push for an in-person meetup. Those decoy profiles and digital forensics are standard fare in local and federal Internet Crimes Against Children operations.
Larger multiagency sweeps have leaned on the same playbook. The Justice Department's Operation Grayskull, which targeted dark-web networks trafficking in child sexual abuse material, is one example that lays out how prosecutors and federal agents coordinate similar work. That effort and others show how undercover decoys and cyber investigative tools are combined to identify and prosecute alleged offenders.
Legal Next Steps
Both defendants were arraigned in Suffolk County First District Court and will now move through the local criminal process.
Attempted rape in the second degree is a class D felony under New York law, per N.Y. Penal Law §130.30. Endangering the welfare of a child is charged under §260.10 and is a class A misdemeanor, and disseminating indecent material to minors in the first degree, which covers using computer systems to communicate sexual content and pressure a minor, is a class D felony under §235.22, according to the state statute.
Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, and prosecutors are expected to schedule further court dates as the cases advance.
How To Report Tips
Anyone with information about these cases, or who believes they may have been a victim, is urged to call Troop L Headquarters at 631-756-3300. The New York State Police say the Computer Crime Unit plans to continue proactive efforts to identify people who try to exploit children online and are asking the public to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.
