Illegal immigrant arrested in sexual abuse case

An illegal immigrant has been arrested as part of a police operation targeting alleged child sexual abuse in New York State, during which another suspect committed suicide.

Wilver O. Laparra-Gonzalez, 34, is accused of paying $80 to have sex with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover police officer.

The Throop resident, who entered the U.S. illegally, was arrested in early August as part of an undercover operation, with additional arrests made this week.

Laparra-Gonzalez was charged on Aug. 8 with attempted rape in the second degree and attempted criminal sexual act in the second degree. He is being held on an immigration detainer issued by ICE.

His arrest at the Melone Village Apartments was linked to an Auburn City Police investigation into child sexual exploitation.

“I find it very disturbing how many people are willing to sexually exploit children in our community,” Cayuga County Sheriff Brien Schenk told The Citizen on Tuesday.

Also at the apartment complex in northwestern New York was suspect Scott R. Demonte, 51, of Fayetteville.

He pointed a firearm at the officers when they arrived, then turned the gun on himself and fired the single shot, killing him, while an officer fired and missed the suspect.

“Based on all of the available evidence in this case, it is clear to me that Scott Demonte did indeed die as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It is also clear to me that the shot fired by the APD officer at the time was justified and did not strike anyone,” Schenk told The Citizen.

“The officers involved in this attempted arrest acted in a very controlled manner as the incident unfolded rapidly.”

On Tuesday, officers arrested John E. Steinruck, 59, of Seneca Falls, and Junayd M. Abdulkhafid, 42, of Syracuse. Both were charged with attempted criminal sexual act in the second degree, in which they allegedly tried to pay for sex with the underage girl again.

The sheriff said Tuesday that there is no evidence yet that Demonte knows the other three suspects.

The sheriff’s office worked with the Auburn Police Department, the New York State Police and the FBI on the case.

Newsweek Contacted ICE, the sheriff’s office and the Auburn Police Department for further comment on Wednesday afternoon.

Because Laparra-Gonzalez is in immigration detention, he faces deportation proceedings. ICE will take the suspect into custody if local law enforcement releases him.

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