Police set up a sting operation to nab a suspected child sex predator known as “Ernie the Uber” after the accused creep arranged what he thought was a meetup with a 16-year-old boy.
The investigation began when the teen’s mother reached out to the Santa Ana Police Department after discovering disturbing messages on her child’s phone, identifying the sender as 45-year-old Ernesto Orozco Villa of Westminster, the department wrote in a social media post.
Patrol officers teamed up with their drone unit to coordinate a targeted operation, setting a trap by convincing Villa to agree to meet the boy in Orange County.
As he sat waiting in his car just before 1 a.m. Wednesday, officers closed in and arrested him near the intersection of Bristol Street and McFadden Avenue.
Arrest footage shared by the Santa Ana Police Department captured Villa smiling and speaking briefly in Spanish before stepping out of his vehicle. Officers then placed him in handcuffs before placing him in the back of a patrol car.
Villa was booked into the Santa Ana Jail. Police reported that the suspect had allegedly requested explicit photos from the teen and was actively trying to arrange a sexual encounter.
“Parents, talk to your children about the dangers of communicating with strangers online and consider monitoring their devices,” Santa Ana police wrote. “Know who your children are talking to.”
