A Fresno police sergeant was arrested Wednesday as part of a Roseville Police Department sting operation involving deputies posing as children online, authorities said.
Paige McQuay, 56, was arrested on suspicion of attempting to contact a minor in order to commit an unlawful offense and solicitation of a minor, according to Roseville police spokesman Chris Ciampa.
An unspecified number of other arrests were also made during the operation, authorities said in a statement.
McQuay, who has been with the Fresno Police Department since 1993, is being held without bond in the Fresno County Jail.
Fresno Interim Police Chief Mindy Casto said the department was notified of McQuay on Tuesday. His associates took him into custody.
The Fresno department is cooperating with Roseville police in their investigation, Casto said during a Wednesday’s press conference.
– It is clear that we have a vested interest. “When someone in our police department is accused of this type of crime, the last thing we want to do is put the public at any kind of risk with them being out there,” she said.
McQuay was placed on paid administrative leave on Wednesday. Both criminal investigations and internal investigations are ongoing.
Casto said there was “no indication” of McQuay’s alleged misconduct within the department.
“It is painful if it is a brand new officer under these circumstances; it’s painful if it’s a veteran officer like it is in this case,” she said.