by | Published
SAN ANTONIO, TX - What began as a classroom lesson on tracking online predators became a real-world investigation that led to the arrest of a San Antonio man charged with online solicitation of a minor, according to the United States Secret Service.
The agency said a Secret Service investigator was teaching a class on online predator investigations when a suspect contacted the undercover account being used as part of the training. The investigator was posing online as a 14-year-old when the suspect initiated contact and continued communicating, attempting to arrange a meeting.
The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Gerardo Moreno-Alvarado. Investigators determined he was located in the San Antonio area and coordinated with local authorities to pursue the case.
The investigation was transferred to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, where an undercover deputy continued the online conversation while posing as the minor. Authorities said a meeting was arranged for Friday afternoon at Pearsall Park.
Moreno-Alvarado was taken into custody without incident Friday afternoon, Jan. 16, by Bexar County deputies. He has been charged with online solicitation of a minor.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Moreno-Alvarado does not have a prior criminal history and works in the food service industry, adding that he is employed as a bartender.
Authorities said the case originated while the Secret Service was conducting training in another part of the country, highlighting the ongoing risks posed by online predators and the importance of undercover operations.
Anyone with information related to Moreno-Alvarado is urged to contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office at 210-335-6000.
