SAN MATEO, CA — A registered sex offender was arrested in San Mateo on Sunday after an independent decoy operation allegedly lured him to a fake meetup with a minor, police said.
A group that the San Mateo Police Department describes as "an organization aimed at catching child predators" reached out to the department to report a man they had been communicating with for the "purpose of sexual activity."
Plans were allegedly made between the underage decoy and the suspect and they agreed to meet in San Mateo. The organization provided police with the suspect's information and officers identified him as Pleasant Hill resident James Carey, 43, who is a registered sex offender with a prior conviction. The suspect had sent a photograph of himself, which detectives say matched that of Carey.
On Sunday, investigators were allegedly able to trace Carey in his vehicle traveling from the East Bay and into San Mateo to the meeting place, where he arrived shortly after 1 p.m.
According to police, the decoy identified Carey and he was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of arranging to meet with a minor for lewd purposes with a prior conviction, contacting a minor with the intent of committing a serious felony, and meeting with the intent to engage in lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.
Police said the organization involved wants to remain anonymous.
Copyright © 2026 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
San Mateo, CA Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.