By Kellie Houx
KHoux@cherryroad.com

CLAY COUNTY — The Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested four men Aug. 7 and 8 who were seeking to have sex with 14-year-old girls as part of a broader law enforcement operation to combat human trafficking occurring in communities north and east of Kansas City, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.

The following suspects have been charged with felony attempted enticement of a child: Jorge Arguello-Benitez, 48, of Kansas City; Simon Gomez-Cruz, 22, of Kansas City, Kansas; Elpidio Lopez-Alonzo, 23, Kansas City; and Nicholas S. Meisenhelter, 32, Shawnee, Kan.

According to the department, the suspects believed they were corresponding with a 14-year-old girl online, who turned out to be undercover Clay County Sheriff’s Office detectives. When they attempted to meet the girl in person, deputies arrested them.

Arguello-Benitez appeared in court Aug. 11. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf as well as a request for a Spanish translator. His bond was set at $50,000.

Gomez-Cruz appeared in court Aug. 11 as well. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf as well as a request for a Spanish translator. His bond has been modified to $25,000. He is currently in the Clay County Detention Center.

Lopez-Alonzo, 23, appeared in court Aug. 11 and was arraigned in Spanish. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf as well as a request for a Spanish translator. His bond was set at $50,000.

Meisenhelter also appeared in court Aug. 11. He entered a plea of not guilty. His bond was also set at $50,000.

In the operation on Aug. 7 and 8, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office was part of a coalition of Northland law enforcement agencies. The Clay, Clinton, Platte, and Ray County sheriffs and the Kearney Police Department each hosted a proactive counter-trafficking operation in their jurisdiction.

They were assisted by the Cameron Police, Richmond Police, Kansas City International Airport Police, Kansas City, Kansas Police, and Riverside Police departments, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Social Services – State Technical Assistance Team, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Technical assistance was provided by the the sheriff’s offices of Bourbon County, Butler and Greenwood County, Kansas as well as the police offices of Goodyear, Mesa and Peoria, Arizona.

The total results for this operation were:

• Seven suspects arrested and booked for attempting to buy sex with a child;

• Three suspects arrested and booked for attempting to buy sex; and

• Two suspects arrested for promoting prostitution for recruiting a person to engage in prostitution.

One suspect in this case was ultimately booked for kidnapping and sexual assault after work by the investigators revealed additional crimes that were occurring in another jurisdiction.

The sheriff’s office shared that the victims are receiving help.