Second man arrested in Craigslist sting

Police have arrested a Newport Beach man on suspicion of trying to have sex with a 13-year-old girl in the second arrest of a possible child predator during a Craigslist sting.

Gabriel Francis Preto, 27, was arrested Jan. 19 on suspicion of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, disorderly conduct, prostitution, communication with a minor with intent to engage in lewd acts and arranging to meet to engage in lewd acts with a minor, officials said.

Preto was communicating with detectives posing as a 13-year-old girl through e-mail and text messages before he agreed to pay to have sex with her, Lt. Russell Reinhart said. Detectives followed up on the case Thursday night with a search warrant of Preto’s home, Reinhart said.

Police arrested a Brea man Dec. 22 on suspicion of trying to have sex with a fictitious minor he met through Craigslist. Venson Villapando, 25, allegedly agreed to pay $100 to have sex with the girl and was arrested when he allegedly drove to the city to do so.

Officers have been working to catch child predators for several years and make a couple of arrests each year, Reinhart said. Police want to send the message that they are watching for child predators in Huntington Beach, Reinhart said.

“We’re looking to protect all the kids we can . . . We want to keep people who do this out of Huntington Beach,” he said.

Officers have special training to take part in this kind of police activity and do other similar activities on Craigslist to catch prostitutes.

— Britney Barnes