Tri-Cities man one of 16 busted in latest ‘Net Nanny’ child sex sting

A Kennewick man was one of 16 men who show up expecting sex with an underage child and ended up in handcuffs instead.

David E. Curry, 34, of Kennewick, faces potential charges for first-degree and second-degree attempted child rape.

Prosecutors have 72 hours to decide whether to charge him.

His bail was set at $20,000.

Curry was the only Tri-Citian caught in the Washington State Patrol’s latest Net Nanny sting. The operation has detectives pose as parents offering to set up sex with their children.

In a similar sting in the Tri-Cities in 2017, the detectives arrested 26 people using similar online advertisements.

The operations are headed by the state patrol’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force, which targets people using the Internet to exploit or abuse children. Yakima County police agencies helped out with the recent operation.

“As parents of six children and foster parents to 40 other children, my wife and I cared for and lived alongside child victims suffering horrendous abuse,” Yakima police Chief Matthew Murray said. “I have set the single priority of the Yakima Police Department as the reduction of violent crime. This operation absolutely helps us achieve that objective.”

Yakima County Prosecutor Joseph Brusic called the cooperation between the law enforcement agencies a testament to their commitment to children’s well-being and health.

“Adults who target, whether directly or indirectly, young children to engage in intercourse or other sexual acts destroy the very fabric of childhood and the innocence that goes along with that time.”

The other people arrested in the the latest sting are:

• Frederick W. Thompson, 67, of Union Gap
• Bradley V. Tschauner, 29, Ephrata
• John B. Raymond, 59, Yakima
• Hayden A. Erlandson, 22, Yakima
• Kendrick Y. Littlebull, 20, Yakima
• Lucas N. Martinez, 34, White Swan
• Veniamin N. Gaidaichuk, 28, Everett
• Richie H. Robertson, 21, Yakima
• Brent M. Atkins, 40, Naches
• Christian Hernandez, 24, Union Gap
• Jessie J. Ramirez, 29, Yakima
• Breton L. Sanchez, 18, Yakima
• Rakinder S. Randhawa, 26, Sunnyside
• Fidel A. Hudson, 25, Yakima
• Benjamin J. Cool, 24, Nampa, Idaho

Anyone with information related to the suspects listed, or information about the identities of other victims is asked to contact the taskforce at mectf@wsp.wa.gov.

This story was originally published November 20, 2019 at 12:44 PM.