Seven men charged in Clay County sex sting operation during World Cup

Seven men accused with attempting to entice 15-year-old girls for sexual acts — during a sting operation led by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office — have been charged with felonies.

Detectives posed as 15-year-old girls online in a Clay County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit operation that took place in June and July, around the time of FIFA World Cup events in Kansas City.

During this operation, men asked to meet the detectives’ profiles of 15-year-old girls for sex and were arrested when they arrived at the designated meet-up spots.

“We know human trafficking increases around large events like the World Cup, so we wanted to help disrupt that,” said Sergeant Jeremy Fahrmeier, supervisor of the Special Victims Unit. “But we also know this danger exists right here at home, with the majority of those arrested residing in the metro area.”

Six of the men live in Kansas and Missouri, mostly in the Kansas City metro area. The other is from Louisiana.

Four of the men face one count, a charge of felony attempted enticement of a minor: Marvin R. Carillo-Muñoz, 45; Charles A. Farmer, 63; William C. Grandi, 45; and Phillip E. Rivera II, 37.

Reginald J. Pittmon, Jr., 23, faces one count of felony attempted enticement of a minor, but the sheriff’s office said there may be additional charges. He is a registered Kansas sex offender and on probation in Jackson County for possession of child sexual abuse material.

Donald D. Robinson, 60, is charged with felony attempted enticement of a child and misdemeanor furnishing pornographic images to a minor.

Steven S. Taylor, 48, faces counts of felony attempted enticement of a minor and felony second-degree drug trafficking.