S. Oregon online child exploitation undercover operation leads to six ‘cyber-predator’ arrests, including Redmond man

MEDFORD, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A southern Oregon police task force's month-long undercover operation to identify adults victimizing children online has led to the arrests of six suspects throughout Oregon, most recently a 66-year-old Redmond man arrested last week who they say was trying to arrange to meet a juvenile for sex.

The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint interagency task force announced Thursday it conducted the operation to identify and arrest dangerous cyber-predators using the internet to meet with local children to have sex,.

The SOCET-led operation consisted of undercover law enforcement officers posing online as minors, waiting for suspects to proposition them into having sex. Even after the acknowledgement of the child’s age, the team said suspects sent sexually explicit messages, photos, and detailed requests of sexual activities they wanted to perform with the undercover officer posing as a child.

The complex undercover operation involved dozens of law enforcement personnel, including detectives, investigators and support staff from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Oregon Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Oregon State Police, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, Central Point Police Department, and Milwaukie Police Department; as well as prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

Due to the complexity of this operation and the dangers involved in the arrests, SOCET also enlisted assistance from other local police task forces, including the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team, Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force, and Pacific Northwest Violent Offenders Task Force.

The first arrest came January 30th, when Gabriel Julian Harrison-Swinden, 29, of White City, attempted to meet and have sex with a juvenile. Harrison-Swinden is charged with first and second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, luring a minor, and attempted using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct. He was booked and lodged in the Jackson County Jail. Investigators have reason to believe Harrison-Swinden may have victimized children throughout Oregon and the United States. If you have any information, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 24-581.

The second arrest on January 30th was Kelly Patrick Ramsey, 57, of Central Point, when he attempted to meet with a juvenile to have sex. Ramsey is charged with two counts of first-degree online sexual corruption of a child, two counts of second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, two counts of luring a minor, and using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct. Ramsey was booked and lodged at the Jackson County Jail. Investigators have reason to believe Ramsey may have victimized children throughout Oregon and the United States. If you have any information, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 24-587.

The third arrest came on February 3rd when Steven Eugene Fitzgerald Buckner, 33, of Tigard, traveled to Jackson County to meet with juveniles to have sex. Buckner is charged federally with online coercion and enticement of a minor. Buckner was booked and lodged in the Jackson County Jail on a federal hold. Investigators have reason to believe Buckner may have victimized children throughout Oregon and the United States. If you have any information, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 24-680.

On February 27th, Cayden James Vasquez, 25, of Medford, was arrested attempting to meet with a juvenile to have sex. Vasquez is charged with first and second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, luring a minor, and attempted using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct. He was booked and lodged in the Jackson County Jail. If you have any information, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 24-1124.

Last week, SOCET investigators traveled to Milwaukie, Ore. to arrest Andrew P Jones, 41, of Milwaukie. Milwaukie Police Department assisted with the March 12th arrest. Jones is charged with second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, and luring a minor. He was booked and lodged in the Clackamas County Jail awaiting transport to Jackson County. If you have any information, call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 24-711.

The next day, on Wednesday, March 13th, SOCET investigators traveled to Redmond and arrested Steven Charles Newstrom, 66, of Redmond, as he allegedly attempted to meet with a juvenile to have sex. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the arrest.

Newstrom was indicted by a Jackson County grand jury earlier this month on charges of second-degree online sexual corruption of a child and luring a minor, both Class 6 felonies. The indictment alleged the online crimes occurred between Jan. 24 and Feb. 6

After his arrest, Newstrom was booked into the Deschutes County Jail, then transported to Jackson County, where court records show he pleaded not guilty to the charges last Friday A judge's order set release conditions, including security at $40,000 and that he have no contact with minors. A pre-trial conference is set for next Monday.

If you have any information about Newstrom, you're urged call the JCSO Tip Line at (541) 774-8333 and reference case number 24-710.

If anyone has additional information on these suspects, please call your local law enforcement agency or the JCSO tip line at (541) 774-8333. You can also contact investigators through the Sheriff’s App “Submit a Tip” feature. Download the app here: https://apps.myocv.com/share/a72997501.

SOCET is a joint interagency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation and human trafficking. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO and HSI with assistance from OSP and MPD; as well as prosecutors from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County.