5 busted for online solicitation

ELLIS COUNTY – The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office’s “Operation Overwatch” conducted an undercover operation recently and arrested five of eight suspects on their watch list.

According to Ellis County Sheriff’s Department Criminal investigations Division Public Information Officer Joe Fitzgerald, “All the actors were arrested in Ellis County.”

Quadrey Evans, 24, of Quinlan, Salem Orion Vonkreighton, 26, of Arlington, and Eric Fagan, 25, of Ferris are still being held in the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie.

Ceeaaron Craft, age unknown from Grand Prairie, and Kevin Ortiz Gomez, age unknown from Dallas, are no longer being held in the center.

All were all arrested on charges of online solicitation of a minor-sexual conduct. Bond was set at $75,000 for each.

Operation Overwatch is focused on targeting “those who prey on children” stated a press release from the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department.

The operation was conducted by the department’s Criminal Investigations Division as well as involving the participation of nine state and local agencies.

According to the sheriff’s department, “The operation was successful in that a total of eight adult predators were identified.” There were also arrest warrants issued for the three suspects who were not apprehended during the operation.

“I am pleased to have hosted Operation Overwatch to keep our kids safe,” said Ellis County Sheriff’s Department Sheriff Brad Norman. “We will target those who target our children as they are our greatest and most precious resource.”

Norman applauded the commitment, attention to detail, and the devotion from the law enforcement personnel and agencies who worked to identify and capture these suspects including the Texas Department of Public Safety, Midlothian Police Department, Waxahachie Police Department, Ennis Police Department, Irving Police Department, Collin County Sheriff’s Office, The Department of Family and Protective Services-Ellis County (CPS), Ellis County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Ellis County & District Attorney’s Office.

Operation Overwatch took place this year, and Fitzgerald concluded will continue “until all actors have been apprehended and all cases have been filed with the prosecutor’s office.”