BROWN COUNTY — A week-long undercover sex sting operation last week netted eight suspects who were arrested in Springfield Aug. 25-26.

Suspects ranged in age from 20 to 70. Suspects charged in Brown County District Court Monday with felony prostitution, for hiring or agreeing to hire a victim who they reasonably believed to be under 18 but at least 16, included: James R. Wallace, 39, 15581 494th Ave., Madelia; Franklin A. Pineda Solares, 24, 220 Hagge St., Worthington; and Shane A. Madsen, 20, 1033 6th St., Sheldon, Iowa.

The other five suspects, including men ages 26, 70, 38, 46, and 36 will be charged in court Tuesday, pending formal criminal complaints, according to a New Ulm Police Department news release.

Brown County Sheriff’s Office Senior Investigator Jeff Hohensee said the undercover sting operation included Brown County Sheriff’s Office staff, Springfield and New Ulm Police and the Mankato Department of Public Safety.

“We really have a good team that works together and fits in well,” Hohensee said. “When doing these sting operations, safety is our number one issue. Without the cooperation of local law enforcement, these stings wouldn’t be possible. We have arrested more than 90 suspects since we began doing these operations a couple years ago.”

Hohensee cited the existence of public and private grants from government entities and womens’ supportive organizations as being vital in law enforcement being able to conduct sex sting operations.

“Some people don’t think sex sting operations can’t happen in small towns, but this is proof that they can,” Hohensee said. “I believe these eight arrests show that this problem is far more prevalent than anyone thought. No one is policing the Internet. These arrests are the reality of the situation.”

Undercover investigators acted as 16-year-old females willing to trade sex or sex acts for money or narcotics. The first advertisement was posted online on Aug. 20. After suspects initiated email conversations, they were directed to text message undercover agents at their cellular number, according to court documents.

Wallace and an undercover agent conversed via 379 text messages Aug. 20-25. He was arrested without incident at the undercover location at 8:12 p.m. Aug. 25.

An undercover agent told Solares he would be charged $200 an hour and he should send a photo of the money, which he did. Solares came to the Brown County undercover residence and he was arrested without incident Aug. 25.

Madsen, who identified himself as a landscaper, was told he would be charged $140 for a half hour and $200 for an hour of sex. He sent a photo of the money in what appeared to be a vehicle. Madsen was arrested without incident at the undercover residence in Brown County on Aug. 25.

Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson is supervising the prosecution of all suspects in Brown County Court.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.