On Friday, April 19, in Hartford County, four men were arrested for allegedly arranging to have sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl. According to Lt. Aaron Boisvert of the Hartford Police, the Special Investigations Division conducted an undercover sting operation at an undisclosed hotel in Hartford to combat child exploitation.
Undercover personnel assumed the girl’s aunt’s identity online and engaged in discussions with the suspects. The men agreed to exchange money for sexual acts with the minor during these online conversations and were later arrested upon arriving at the hotel and provided a room number by detectives. The four offenders who were taken into custody during the operation were Jonathan Almonte, Aqib Bakawala, Angel Rodriguez, and Michael Huang, all charged with criminal attempts related to illegal sexual contact with a minor under 16, sexual assault, and commercial sexual abuse.
The Major Crimes Division, along with the Southeast and Northeast Community Service officers, and the FBI Crimes Against Children/Human Trafficking Task Force, aided in the operation.