by LAS VEGAS, NV – A Las Vegas pastor was among eight suspects arrested earlier this month in a sting operation that targeted alleged child sex predators across the Las Vegas Valley, according to police and court records.
Pastor Neal Harrison Creecy Arrested
Authorities say Neal Harrison Creecy, 46, who leads Redemption Church, was arrested on August 7 and charged with one felony count of luring or attempting to lure a child or mentally ill person with the use of a computer to engage in sexual contact.
Creecy posted a $10,000 bond the following day before appearing in front of a judge. His arraignment is scheduled for September 2 in Henderson Justice Court, records show.
Police allege Creecy engaged in explicit online conversations with a law enforcement decoy posing as a 14-year-old boy through apps including TikTok, Sniffles, and Sessions. The discussions “turned sexual in nature,” authorities said, and Creecy later arrived at a pre-arranged meeting spot, where he was taken into custody.
During questioning, Creecy admitted to his involvement and acknowledged he believed he was meeting a minor. He reportedly told investigators, “I’m sorry.”
Church Responds to Arrest
Creecy’s congregation meets at Good Samaritan Lutheran Church and Christian Academy on West Sahara Avenue. Following news of the arrest, Good Samaritan’s senior pastor, Don Lorfing, released a letter to his members clarifying that Redemption Church is an independent ministry.
“While they rent space from us, they are not part of our staff, leadership, or programs,” Lorfing wrote, adding that his church maintains strong child safety safeguards and had no knowledge of any misconduct linked to Redemption Church.
Other Suspects in the Sting
According to Review Journal, The sting, conducted by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in partnership with federal agents, led to the arrest of seven others, all facing similar charges.
Among those arrested was Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, a senior Israeli government cybersecurity official accused of attempting sexual contact with a decoy posing as a 15-year-old girl.
The other suspects identified by Metro police include:
- David Wonnacott-Yahnke, 40
- Jose Alberto Perez-Torres, 35
- Aniket Brajeshkumar Sadani, 23
- James Ramon Reddick, 23
- Ramon Manuel Parra Valenzuela, 29
- John Charles Duncan, 49
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All but Duncan, who was identified using facial recognition technology, were arrested after arriving at meeting spots arranged with decoys posing as 13- and 14-year-olds.
Sting Operation Details
Police said the suspects communicated with undercover officers through a range of social media and messaging platforms, including Discord, Tinder, Grindr, Telegram, Instagram, and Chatib. Conversations often shifted to text messaging before meetings were arranged.
Law enforcement officials stressed that the operation was designed to protect minors from online predators who attempt to exploit vulnerable children through digital platforms.
What’s Next
Creecy does not yet have an attorney listed in court records, and his congregation has not publicly commented.
The suspects face serious felony charges and, if convicted, could face years in prison and mandatory registration as sex offenders.
What do you think about law enforcement using undercover decoys in sting operations like this? Should police be doing more to monitor online apps for potential predators? Share your thoughts in the comments at ibwhsmag.com.
