Twelve alleged child predators including a middle school teacher and youth program coordinator with access to vulnerable children were arrested during a multi-agency Christmas week sting operation in New Jersey that exposed the horrifying reality of online predators actively hunting minors through social media platforms.
The coordinated effort dubbed "Operation Bad Santa" was led by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit between December 8th and 15th, involving collaboration from the East Brunswick Police Department, FBI Newark, Homeland Security, and numerous local law enforcement agencies. Undercover officers posed as children on social media and messaging applications, steering the suspects aged 23 to 65 toward a designated Middlesex County residence where they expected to meet minors for sexual activity—only to be met by waiting law enforcement instead.
"This operation's success reflects the power of cooperation among multiple agencies and stands as both a beacon of hope for our community and a stark warning to those who attempt to victimize our most vulnerable population; we will relentlessly pursue justice."
Among those arrested were Joseph Davicsin, 46, a middle school teacher at Chessie Dentley Roberts Academy School No. 30 in Elizabeth, and an individual identified as a program coordinator for Youth Rise, an academic readiness program at Passaic County Community College. Upon learning of Davicsin's arrest, Elizabeth Public Schools took immediate action to ensure he could not enter any school building and subsequently terminated his employment. Most defendants face second-degree luring charges and third-degree criminal attempt of endangering sexual conduct with a child, while several including Jorge Mora and Akash Shah face additional charges for distributing obscene material to minors.
Jail records indicate that most of those arrested are non-United States citizens, highlighting concerns about border security and vetting processes that allow dangerous individuals into communities where they can access and prey upon American children. The suspects used various social media platforms and messaging applications believing they were communicating with underage children, not realizing trained law enforcement officers were documenting every message and building criminal cases against them. Ten defendants were arrested when they physically arrived at the undercover residence expecting to find a child, while two engaged in online child exploitation and were arrested upon identification.
Authorities emphasized that the timing during the holiday season was intentional, as predators often intensify efforts when children have more unsupervised time online during school breaks. Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone warned parents to remain vigilant about their children's online activities, particularly during periods when adult supervision may be reduced. The operation demonstrates law enforcement's continued focus on online child exploitation and serves as a reminder that predators actively work to groom and lure minors through platforms parents may believe are safe.
The arrest of educators and youth program coordinators is particularly chilling, as these positions provide predators with legitimate access to children, trust from parents, and opportunities to identify vulnerable targets. Parents entrust these individuals with their children's safety and development, making such betrayals especially egregious violations of public trust. Operation Bad Santa's success demonstrates that aggressive multi-agency coordination can identify and remove dangerous predators from communities, yet the operation simultaneously reveals the scale of the problem—twelve men actively seeking to exploit children in a single New Jersey county over just one week. The reality remains that for every predator caught, countless others continue hunting through social media platforms that prioritize user engagement and profit over implementing meaningful protections for minors, leaving parents as the last line of defense against threats that previous generations never imagined their children would face.