Rockland Targets Sexual Predators With 'Operation Catfish'

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — A months-long cybercrime investigation project called Operation Catfish has so far netted seven arrests and one guilty plea since January 2022, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies assisted the Rockland County District Attorney’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The mission of the ICAC Task Force is to identify individuals online who are attempting to lure children to meet for sex or those disseminating child sexual abuse material.

"It has been a top priority for my Office to protect innocent children in Rockland County from being preyed upon by sexual predators," Walsh said in a statement Tuesday. "Today’s announcement sends a strong message to any child predator, if you prey upon children in Rockland County, our ICAC Task Force will work with federal, state, and local partners to track you down, identify you and prosecute you to the full extent of the law.

Most of the investigations originated via CyberTips forwarded to Rockland by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Walsh said.

They revealed several residents who used media platforms which possessed child sexual abuse material. Facing charges are:

• Peter Tralongo, 34, of Valley Cottage, NY – Promoting an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child (D Felony) and Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child (E Felony)

• Byron Diaz-Jeronimo, 24, of Spring Valley, NY – Promoting an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child (D Felony) and Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child (E Felony).

• Lazaro Hernandez, 40, of Suffern, NY – Promoting an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child (D Felony) and Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child (E Felony).

• Michael Anelli, 24, of Palisades, NY – Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child (E Felony) 25 counts.

In addition, throughout 2022, Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Investigators engaged adults who used chatrooms and social media platforms to engage in inappropriate conversations with minors. The predators were using these conversations to lure underage children into meeting them for sex. To date, three people, two New Yorkers and a New Jersey man, have been arrested and charged:

• Tomasz Szeliga, 32, of Orangetown, NY – Attempted Criminal Sexual Act 2nd (D Felony), Attempted Disseminating Indecent Materials to Minors 1st (D Felony), and Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child (E Felony).
• Ryan Mowery, 36, of Johnstown, NY - Attempted Dissemination of Indecent Material to Minors – 1st Degree (E Felony)
• Brian Reed, 34, of Sussex, NJ – Rape 2nd Degree and Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors1st Degree (*Charged Federally)

Szeliga pleaded guilty Dec. 5. on his indictment and is scheduled to be sentenced to 3 years in state prison.

"It’s a frightening reality that there are people lurking online who want to harm or exploit children," said Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York. "Tracking down these individuals takes significant resources and close cooperation across jurisdictions, but these results show what can be achieved when we work together. We are proud to partner with the Rockland County Internet Crimes Against Children task force as we work towards our shared goal to find those who prey on children and bring them to justice."

The Rockland County District Attorney’s Office has been a member of the Internet Crimes Against
Children since 2020. This operation was assisted by the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations New York State Police, Ramapo Police Department, Clarkstown Police Department, Orangetown Police Department, Stony Point Police Department, Haverstraw Police Department, Suffern Police Department, Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.