Three Adults Arrested in Texas for Using a Dating App to Target Teen Girls

Authorities in Texas apprehended three men from El Salvador accused of attempting to lure underage girls through a dating app. The Houston Police Department set up a sting operation, posing as minors on the app Jaumo, which resulted in their arrests.

Abner Ruiz, 37; Erick Menjivar, 30; and Carlos Gomez, 33, were taken into custody within the last ten days. All three face charges of online solicitation of a minor, as per court records. Gómez, a father of a minor, was also charged with failure to stop and aid, and has prior convictions for assault. He initially entered the U.S. illegally on October 19, 2012, was deported in 2020, and later re-entered undetected before being caught during the operation.

Ruiz first crossed into the U.S. illegally near San Ysidro, California, on July 25, 2018, and was arrested on the same day but released shortly after. Menjivar, also an illegal migrant, entered the U.S. at the same border crossing and was released by immigration authorities three days later. These two believed they would meet minor girls—Ruiz thought he was meeting a 14-year-old, while Menjivar aimed to connect with a 16-year-old.

The operation, which occurred on July 17, was not specifically aimed at illegal immigrants, according to officials. Gómez attempted to flee upon realizing he was communicating with law enforcement and caused a vehicle crash, injuring a pedestrian during his escape.

About the App and the Sting

Jaumo markets itself as a community-based dating platform allowing users to connect with nearby individuals and message without prior matching. Children under 18 are prohibited from using the service. The operation revealed how predators might exploit such apps, with Gómez, Ruiz, and Menjivar attempting to engage with teenagers through online conversations.