REDWOOD FALLS — Operation Guardian Angel, a covert operation conducted by the BLR Drug Task Force and Washington County Human Trafficking Task Force in Redwood Falls designed to target the demand for underage sex trafficking, resulted in the arrest of three men on felony charges June 9.

The Redwood County Attorney’s Office charged Michael P. Zeug, 45, Walnut Grove; Scott G. Berglund, 41, Montevideo; and Javier B. Turrubiartes, 40, Renville; with engaging in, hiring or agreeing to hire a minor to engage in prostitution.

It was alleged that Zeug and Berglund solicited sex with an individual they believed were 17-year-old females. It was alleged Turrubiartes solicited sex with an individual he believed was a 15-year-old female, according to the Redwood County Attorney’s Office.

Law enforcement posted advertisements on two websites, Backpage.com and Craigslist.org, sits that are commonly used by individuals looking to engage in commercial sex trafficking and prostitution, said Redwood County Attorney Steven S. Collins.

“The goal of the operation is to identify those individuals who want to solicit minors for sex,” Collins said. “This operation was a unique one and a first for Redwood County.”

The multi-jurisdictional operation was conducted in partnership with the BLR (Brown, Lyon, Redwood and Renville County) Drug Task Force, Minneapolis, Woodbury, Lower Sioux and Sleepy Eye Police plus the Redwood and Renville County Sheriff’s Offices.