Weld County GOP Chair Hunter Rivera Arrested in Child Sex Sting, Faces $6,500 Cash Bond
Updated
Updated · 9News.com KUSA · May 15
Weld County GOP Chair Hunter Rivera Arrested in Child Sex Sting, Faces $6,500 Cash Bond
8 articles · Updated · 9News.com KUSA · May 15
Hunter Rivera, 24, was arrested after deputies say he arrived at a meeting point expecting to pay for sex with a minor in a Larimer County undercover operation.
Larimer County investigators said Rivera was one of several dozen people who answered online ads posted by officers posing as minors, and one of only two who showed up and were arrested.
Rivera faces charges including soliciting a child prostitute, internet luring of a child, cybercrime to arrange a minor prostitute, and attempted sexual assault on a child; his next court appearance is May 21.
Colorado House and Senate Republicans called the allegations "sickening" and demanded Rivera resign immediately as Weld County GOP chair, saying there is no place in the party for anyone accused of preying on children.
With new laws pending, will this case change how Colorado prosecutes and sentences online child predators?
Beyond arrests, what can be done to dismantle the growing online market for child sexual exploitation?
As online child abuse reports soar, are police stings enough to combat this tech-fueled crisis?