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From the office of
Plymouth County District
Attorney Tim Cruz
Operation Trenchcoat nabs 11
alleged sexual predators
List
includes Plymouth Board of Selectman member, Sean Dodgson
 July
16, 2006 — Eleven men were arrested on Friday and Saturday and
charged with various criminal offenses related to each defendant’s
activity as an on-line sexual predator as a result of “Operation
Trenchcoat”, a combined law enforcement investigation leading to
these arrests.
“Operation Trenchcoat” is a joint law enforcement effort involving
the following state federal, local, and county agencies:
The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office
The Massachusetts State Police Detectives Unit Assigned to the
Plymouth County DA’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE).
The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, including their HEAT team
(High-
Technology Evidence Analysis Team).
Troop D and the Computer Forensic Unit of the Massachusetts State
Police
Marshfield Police Department
Kingston Police Department
Plymouth Police Department
Wareham Police Department
The purpose of “Operation Trenchcoat” was to identify,
apprehend and prosecute Internet predators who were attempting to
lure children into meeting them for the purpose of unlawful sexual
intercourse. Using undercover identities and posing as minors on
line, law enforcement investigators allowed these defendants to
engage them in sexually explicit conversations and then agreed to
meet with them when the defendants asked to do so. These on-line
contacts took place over a period of two months. In some cases the
defendants transmitted images of pornography, (including graphic
photos of very young children engaged in sexual activity) to the
undercover officers. Once these individuals were identified and a
meeting was arranged, investigators sought and obtained arrest
warrants. The arrests took place over the course of two days, July
14 and July 15 as the defendants arrived at the arranged meeting
place.
The undercover portion of the operation was conducted
by State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District
Attorney’s Office, Marshfield PD,the Plymouth County Sheriff’s
Department HEAT team, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
 The
arrests were carried out by the State Police Detectives assigned to
the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office along with the
assistance and support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),
other Units from the State Police and the local police departments
of Kingston, Plymouth, Marshfield and Wareham, as well as the
Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department.
District Attorney Cruz would like to thank all the law
enforcement agencies involved in this operation for their dedication
and hard work, especially the Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) for their technical and manpower contributions to this effort.
The public should be aware and proud of the ability of their law
enforcement agencies at the local, county, state and federal levels
to work together in order to make our communities and our very home
computers safer places for our children.
Additionally, over the last 9 months, State Police
Detectives from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office have
been working with the Heat Team from the Sheriff’s Department on
similar online undercover investigations. Those investigations have
resulted in 17 arrests in 9 months. Those are in addition to today’s
arrests. These investigations target a very serious threat to our
children: That is the ability of sexual predators to use our home
computers as a way to gain access to and commit heinous crimes
against our children.
Through operations like this we intend to send a
very strong message to online sexual predators: “The Internet is no
longer a place for you to stalk and abuse children. The 13 or 14
year-old child that you think that you are talking to is most likely
a cop. We are watching you and we will catch you and put you in
jail.”
OPERATION TRENCHCOAT DEFENDANTS
1. Salvatore Lariccia DOB 09/03/1949 (56 years of age)
Medway, MA
Date of Arrest: 07/14/2006 Location of Arrest: Attleboro, MA
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16
Attempt to Commit Crime (9 Counts)
2. Paul Cragnoline DOB 04/14/1948 (57 years of age)
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Date of Arrest: 07/14/2006 Location of Arrest: Kingston, MA
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16
Attempt to Commit Crime: to wit indecent A & B on a child under 14
Attempt to Commit Crime: rape of a child, statutory
Unlicensed Operation of a Vehicle
3. Adam Wiedmer DOB 09/14/1984 (21 years of age)
Allston, MA 02134
Date of Arrest: 07/14/2006 Location of Arrest: Kingston, MA
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16
Attempt to Commit Crime: to wit rape of child, statutory
Attempt to Commit Crime: to wit indecent A & B on a child under 14
Obscene Matter, Distribute (5 Counts)
Attempt: to wit distribute matter harmful to minor (5 Counts)
4. Christopher Bailey DOB 03/06/1987 (19 years of age)
Manchester, NH 03102
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: New Hampshire
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (3
Counts)
5. Lawrence Langone DOB 08/31/1957 (48 years of age)
Uxbridge, MA 01569
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: Uxbridge
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (8
Counts)
6. Cory Williams DOB 09/12/1979 (26 years of age)
Allston, MA 02134
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: At Room (Kingston)
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (2
Counts)
7. Clayton Lutton DOB 09/18/1983 (22 years of age)
Newton, MA
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: At Room (Kingston)
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (5
Counts)
8. Sean Dodgson
Plymouth, MA
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: Plymouth, MA
Charges: Enticement of a child under 16 (2 counts)
Attempt to Commit Crime: to wit indecent A & B on a child under 14
(2 counts)
Attempt to Commit Crime: rape of a child, statutory (2 counts)
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (2
Counts)
9. Ralph C. Hatfield
Peabody, MA
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: Peabody, MA
Charges: Diss. Of Child in a State of Nudity (7 counts)
Diss. Of Obscene Material (7 counts)
Enticement of a Minor
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (20+
Counts)
10. Matt Coelho
Hudson, MA
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: Hudson, MA
Charges: Enticement of a Minor
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (5
Counts)
11. Michael Creedon
Melrose, MA
Date of Arrest: 07/15/2006 Location of Arrest: Melrose, MA
Charges: Enticement of a Minor
Attempt to Commit Crime: Distribute matter harmful to minor (5
Counts) All defendants were held on cash bail amounts ranging from
$1000 - $25,000
No further information will be released
until the arraignments (Plymouth District Court) on Monday. |
