Operation Muddy Waters results in 70 arrests in Mississippi child exploitation cases, including several illegal aliens who allegedly crossed state lines to have sex with minors, federal authorities said.
Federal, state and local law enforcement partners made the arrests during a two-week sting targeting child sex offenders and child exploitation crimes across Mississippi.
The coordinated statewide enforcement effort took place from July 20-31, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi.
The initiative was spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigations, which has targeted child sexual predators across the country, particularly during the FIFA World Cup games this summer.
Authorities arrested 70 individuals for crimes connected to child exploitation, solicitation of children, possession or distribution of child sexual abuse material, and violations involving previously convicted sex offenders, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shared in a news release.
HSI investigators involved in the undercover stings used online and on-site solicitations to nab the sexual predators.
“Those who choose to hide behind a computer screen to exploit children will not remain hidden,” HSI Gulfport Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Reidell said. “We will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to bring these crimes to light, pursue those responsible and help prevent further harm.”
Operation Muddy Waters resulted in more than 60 arrests for charges related to child exploitation and sex offender registry noncompliance. We seized more than 50 devices, served more than 8 search warrants, and secured 3 immigration detainers. Thank you to our incredible federal,… pic.twitter.com/af1jUR0LZH
— Lynn Fitch (@LynnFitchAG) August 12, 2026
Investigators busted some of the alleged predators after they traveled across state lines to commit sex acts with children. Other tips led to new cases involving in the livestreaming of child sexual abuse and individuals accused of downloading, sharing or soliciting child sexual abuse material.
According to ICE, Cristian Abel Argueta Giron, 33, of Rossville, Tenn., is in the country illegally from Honduras and was arrested and charged with enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes.
Giron reportedly traveled from Tennessee into Mississippi for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a child. He had actually been talking with an undercover detective, WTVA reported.
ICYMI: 70 people have been arrested in a sweeping two-week child exploitation operation across Mississippi, including illegal immigrants accused of traveling across state lines to engage in sexual activity with children, according to @ICEgov @HSI_HQ.
HSI says “Operation Muddy… pic.twitter.com/qWR4qdpkSM
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) August 11, 2026
HSI investigators busted several illegal immigrants during the sting, including:
Rahul Mondal, from Bangladesh but living in Tuscaloosa, Ala., who is accused of establishing communication with a 14-year-old boy via social media. Fox News reported he is in the country on a student visa at the University of Alabama.
Jose Arevalo Garcia, from Mexico, is a noncompliant sex offender convicted of sexual assault in 2010.
Enrique Bravo Gonzalez, from Mexico, is a noncompliant sex offender who was previously convicted for a felony sexual offense against a child in 2022 along with multiple traffic offenses in 2010 and 2011.
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi Scott Leary said Operation Muddy Waters led to 13 child exploitation arrests, 48 sex offender absconder arrests, two referrals to Louisiana and Colorado and one victim recovered.
In addition, investigators executed eight search warrants and seized more than 50 devices for forensics and at least three immigration detainers.
Leary hosted a press conference to discuss the operation and, adding in a news release, said “victimizing children is evil and a civilized society cannot tolerate it.”
The operation is ongoing, and more arrests will be coming. The suspects include teachers, firefighters and other people in positions of trust, officials said.
“We will be absolutely relentless in our pursuit of those who seek to exploit our kids,” Leary said. “These crimes are an abomination.”
Operation Muddy Waters involved HSI, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, sheriff’s offices in Marshall, DeSoto, Harrison, Hinds, Pearl River, and Forrest counties, the Oxford, Miss., Police Department and other federal, state and local partners.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch credited law enforcement for “working together to find the predators who hide in plain sight in our communities.” Fitch said that one child victim was saved from a sextortion scheme in progress.
“The work done in this operation made all the difference to this child and to countless others who are a little safer online right now,” Fitch said.
Several local news outlets reported on the arrests. WREG News 3 and WTVA named three men from Oxford, Miss., and Tennessee who were charged with enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes.
“Protecting children and holding accountable those who seek to exploit them is a responsibility we take very seriously,” Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen said. “We will
continue working with our local, state and federal partners to protect the children in our
community.”
Investigators also arrested Justin Tyler Scott, a U.S. citizen from Pearl, Miss., who established communication with a 14-year-old boy via social media to have sex.
Yves Jean Baptiste Cook, a U.S. citizen from Mendenhall, Miss., was also arrested after allegedly communicating with a 14-year-old girl via social media, then sent masturbation videos and requested nude images, ICE officials said.
