CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Six Bay Area men — including a high school teacher —were arrested in a recent operation targeting people on the internet with the intent to travel to meet minors and engage in sex acts, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office said Friday.
Operation Broken Heart
Operation Broken Heart was carried out from Feb. 26 to March 7. Four men have been charged by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office with offenses related to child exploitation. Two of the cases were still under review by prosecutors.
The operation was run by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the Danville Police Department in conjunction with multiple local, state and federal agencies that make up the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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“The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has been an integral part of my office’s policies on public safety,” Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said. “Operation Broken Heart is an example of how the District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement work together in making Contra Costa County safer from those who engage in criminal acts to harm children.”
The DA’s Office released the following summaries of each arrest.
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Joseph Rudolfo Martinez, 38, of Union City
It is alleged that on Feb. 26, Martinez began to chat with two undercover officers who were posing as 13-year-old girls. Martinez sent the officers images of his genitals and indicated he was a teacher, and that the image of his genitals was taken in his classroom. It was determined Martinez was a 10th-grade English teacher at Tennyson High School in Hayward. It is alleged that Martinez also asked the minors to produce child sexual abuse material for him.
A search warrant was executed March 1 at his house in Union City.
Martinez was arrested and booked on suspicion of sending harmful material to a minor and the attempted production of child pornography.
Martinez posted bail. The case is under review by prosecutors.
James Paul Walsh, 44, of Hayward
It is alleged that on March 1, James Walsh engaged in chats with an undercover officer posting online as a 13-year-old girl. Walsh told the undercover officer he wanted to pick her up and drive her to his house in Hayward to engage in sex acts. When Walsh arrived at an apartment complex in Danville, he was taken into custody.
Walsh was booked on suspicion of attempting to kidnap a minor for sex, attempted lewd acts with a minor, and arranging to meet a minor for sex.
Walsh posted bail. The case is under review by prosecutors.
Alexander Derrick Hellmund, 59, of Concord
It is alleged that on Feb. 29, Hellmund arrived at an apartment complex in Danville to pick up a 13-year-old boy and take the minor to Concord to engage in sex acts with him. Hellmund was arrested and booked for felonies including, attempting to kidnap a minor for sex, attempted lewd acts with a minor, and arranging to meet a minor for sex.
Hellmund was formally charged March 4 by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
Elmer Desiderio Ramirez-Lucha, 45, of Pittsburg
It is alleged that on Feb. 28, Ramirez arrived at an apartment complex in Danville to meet a 13-year-old girl to engage in sex acts. Ramirez was arrested and booked on suspicion of multiple felonies, including attempted lewd acts with a minor and arranging to meet a minor for sex.
Ramirez was formally charged March 1 by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
Mahmut Guzelsu, 27, of Benicia
It is alleged that on Feb. 28, Mahmut Guzelsu arrived at a park in Danville to meet a 13-year-old girl to engage in sex acts. Guzelsu was arrested and booked on suspicion of felonies, including attempted lewd acts with a minor and arranging to meet a minor for sex. He was released on bail.
Guzelsu has been formally charged by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
Brady Allen Godsey-Lally, 27, of Brentwood
It is alleged that on March 7, Brady Godsey-Lally arrived at an apartment complex in Danville to meet a 13-year-old girl to engage in sex acts. Godsey was arrested and booked on suspicion of multiple felonies, including attempted lewd acts with a minor and arranging to meet a minor for sex.
Godsey was formally charged March 11 by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
Task Force Made Up Of Local Investigators, Federal Agents
The Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is comprised of detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Concord, Brentwood, Danville, Pleasant Hill, San Ramon, Pittsburg and Oakley police departments; the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office; special agents and forensic examiners from the U.S. Secret Service; special agents from Homeland Security Investigations; and inspectors from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
The task force thanked the San Jose Police Department, the FBI and the Contra Costa County Safe Streets Task Force for their substantial assistance in the operation.
The DA’s Office encouraged parents, guardians and caretakers to talk to their children about social media and smartphone safety on the website of the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, svicac.org, and at Common Sense Media, commonsensemedia.org.
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