RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — A yearlong investigation targeting the online distribution of child sexual abuse material across Riverside County led to the arrest of 42 individuals and the identification of more than 500 suspected distributors, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
The operation, known as “Operation Volcano,” was carried out between March 2025 and March 2026 through a coordinated effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the county. Investigators focused on identifying high-risk offenders and disrupting online exploitation networks operating within the region.
Authorities said more than 500 unique Internet Protocol addresses were linked to the suspected distribution of child pornography during the investigation. Each case was reviewed using what officials described as a structured screening process designed to prioritize suspects considered most dangerous. That included individuals with prior sex crime convictions, people already under criminal justice supervision, and those employed in positions involving children or public trust.
During the operation, investigators served 46 search warrants at homes throughout Riverside County. Those searches ultimately resulted in 42 arrests involving residents from communities including Banning, Beaumont, Bermuda Dunes, Corona, Eastvale, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Palm Springs, Perris, Riverside, San Jacinto, Temecula and Winchester.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, 14 of the individuals arrested were considered high-risk offenders. Officials said those suspects included a person wanted on a $2 million warrant related to child sexual assault, along with professionals working in a variety of fields, including healthcare, government, technology and education-related services.
Among those identified by prosecutors were a child psychologist, a naturopathic doctor, a retired law enforcement employee, a California prison information technology worker, a local government planning director, a Southern California hospital chief technology officer, a notary public, a United States Postal Service employee, two corporate vice presidents and three registered sex offenders.
Authorities released the names and cities of residence for many of the suspects arrested during the operation. Arrest dates and custody status for several individuals were not immediately available.
    The individuals identified by the District Attorney’s Office include: Feliciano Chavarria, 62, Lake Elsinore; Enrique Castaneda, 51, Riverside; Eric Thai, 43, Menifee; James Munson, 32, San Jacinto; William Zahn, 48, Riverside; John Carrico, 52, Murrieta; Jason Lee, 51, Banning; Brian Erwin, 46, Beaumont; Daniel Malcolm, 46, Bermuda Dunes; Randolph Velasco, 44, Lake Elsinore; Marcus Guevara, 21, Winchester; Christopher Gibbons, 39, Moreno Valley; Allen Cox, 81, Menifee; David Poggi, 59, Menifee; Zixiang Cheng, 32, Murrieta; Ray Kubal, 75, Menifee; Ethan Conely, 29, Menifee; Jessie Bonales, 40, Temecula; Nicholas Williams, 39, Norco; Daniel Cunningham, 43, Corona; Adam Robinson, 38, Riverside; Kenneth Camron, 68, Menifee; Neftali Jimenez, 21, Riverside; Robert Schaar, 53, Temecula; Victor Sepulveda, 60, Moreno Valley; Stuart Triplett, 61, Temecula; Jame Davis, 60, Lake Elsinore; Xinyi Su, 22, Mira Loma; Mark Tyler, 66, Perris; Rickson Jao, 62, Eastvale; Stacey Parker, 62, Moreno Valley; Chas Rico, 30, Murrieta; Jonathan Jordan, 27, Moreno Valley; Jeremiah Davis, 21, Hemet; Dustin Jenks, 56, Palm Springs; Richard Mckeehan Jr., 48, Moreno Valley; Anthony Ramirez, 39, Nuevo; and Daniel Chico, 21, Riverside.
All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Riverside County announcement comes just days after San Bernardino County authorities announced the conclusion of a similar operation. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said “Operation Firewall,” a two-week internet crimes enforcement effort, resulted in 101 arrests.
San Bernardino County officials said charges in that operation included possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, arranging meetings with minors for sexual purposes, sending explicit images to minors, lewd acts involving minors and violations tied to sex offender registration requirements.
Investigators in San Bernardino County also reported that 16 children were removed from situations involving alleged abuse or exploitation during the operation.
