OPELIKA, Ala. – A multi-agency child exploitation sting in Opelika has led to the arrest of 11 men, including Quyen Huu Nguyen, a 29-year-old Auburn resident and owner of Queen Nails and Spa in downtown Auburn.
Nguyen faces two counts of Prostitution with a Minor, two counts of Child Solicitation by Computer, and two counts of Traveling to Meet a Child for an Unlawful Sex Act. According to court records, he is currently out on a $260,000 bond but is barred from contact with minors under 16, except for immediate family members.
Undercover Operation Leads to Arrests
The arrests resulted from an undercover sting led by the Opelika Police Department, in coordination with the Lee County District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security, and Covenant Rescue Group, a nonprofit combating human trafficking.
Investigators posed as minors in online chat rooms and social media. Suspects who allegedly believed they were meeting teenage girls for sex instead found themselves in custody.
List of Arrested Individuals:
Courtney Avery, 40 – Opelika, AL
Grant Lee, 43 – Johns Creek, GA
Ismel Cano Montealegre, 21 – Montgomery, AL
Victor Dowdell II, 27 – Auburn, AL
Javier Perez, 25 – Auburn, AL
Jacob Fahringer, 23 – Auburn, AL
Arnulfo Diaz-Alvarado, 27 – Dothan, AL
Efraim Perez Vaquero, 22 – Union Springs, AL
Seungyun Lee, 28 – Auburn, AL
Quyen Nguyen, 29 – Auburn, AL
Marcus Wilson, 44 – Auburn, AL
Most of the men face similar charges, including Prostitution with a Minor, Child Solicitation by Computer, and Traveling to Meet a Child for an Unlawful Sex Act.
Ongoing Efforts Against Online Predators
Authorities emphasized that this operation is part of a larger effort to identify and apprehend online predators targeting minors. Investigators urge parents to monitor children’s online activity and report suspicious behavior to law enforcement.
