GENESEE COUNTY (WWJ) - Officers from Genesee County announced the arrest of 13 people in surrounding cities after a months-long human trafficking investigation.
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson along with the former host of How to Catch a Predator, Chris Hanson, explained how members of the Genesee Human Trafficking Oppression Strike Team - also known as GHOST - conducted operations in Mount Morris, Goodrich, Grand Blanc and Davison.
"In the last four months, we arrested 13 people just in those locations coming to have sex with a child," Sheriff Swanson said on a Facebook live video.
Swanson said the adults traveled from various cities like Saginaw, Flint, Shelby Township, under the impression they were going to have sex with a 15-year-old, 14-year-old and 13-year-old.
The sheriff pointed out one of the men arrested was none other than Todd Barraco, 44, a part-time cop with the Vassar Police Department, who allegedly tried to have sex with a minor.
Hanson explained how in his many years of catching alleged child predators, he gets a sense about the kind of people he confronts in these situations. When he questioned Barraco, Hanson said he suspected the man was a police officer.
"When we came in, his sense of entitlement and his sense of authority and his indignation that I would ask him any questions about his activity and he was there for a child that was unmistakable," Hanson said of Barraco. "He wanted to take over the whole scene."
Barraco was arrested by authorities on Thursday evening and promptly fired from the Vassar Police Department, Swanson said.
The sheriff said an investigation into Barraco's former employment in education is ongoing.
The former police officer faces three felony counts after being charged with child sexually abusive material, communication with another to commit a crime and accosting for immoral purposes.
Swanson said they will continue to highlight the suspects they arrested and to stay tuned to their Facebook live updates to learn more about the investigation.