Five arrested in Fall River child sex exploitation operation

Five men were arrested in Fall River, Massachusetts, on Wednesday as part of an undercover operation to crack down on the sexual exploitation of children.

In a Facebook post, Fall River police said they were focusing on people who look to engage with commercial sex with minors.

WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE

Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are.

As part of the operation, an undercover trooper posing as a 15-year-old girl posted a fake advertisement online. Suspects who responded to the ad were sent to a predetermined location, where they were arrested.

Five men -- 64-year-old Russell Phillips, of Fall River, 43-year-old Mark Brownell, of Portsmouth, NH, 25-year-old Troy Medeiros, of Fall River, 38-year-old Orion Wellinghurst, of Rochester and 20-year-old Carlos Arturo Fernandez Serna, of Central Falls -- were arrested.

Phillips, Brownell, and Medeiros were each charged with sexual conduct for a fee with a child, enticement of a child under the age of 16, and attempt to commit a crime to wit attempted rape of a child. Wellinghurst and Fernandez Serna face the same charges and were also charged with resisting arrest.

This was a collaborative effort by the Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit (HRVU), the Fall River Police Department Community Action and Suppression Team (CAST), and the Massachusetts State Police Troop D Community Action Team.

"We are unwavering in our dedication to safeguarding the youth of our community. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment, free from the threat of exploitation and abuse. Through collaborative efforts, advanced investigative techniques, and a steadfast focus on prevention, we remain committed to identifying and dismantling systems that endanger our children," Fall River police wrote in a Facebook post.