Five Men Arrested in Fishkill Child Exploitation Sting

New York State Police and Federal Partners Shut Down a Two-Day Predator Operation in Dutchess County

A coordinated law enforcement sting in the Town of Fishkill, New York, led to the arrest of five men on child exploitation charges over two days in late May 2026. The New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), working alongside the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, and the Town of Fishkill Police Department, moved swiftly to take suspected predators off the streets. This type of multi-agency child exploitation investigation is becoming increasingly common across New York, and the results in Fishkill send a clear message: law enforcement is watching, and they are ready to act.

What Happened in Fishkill

On May 28 and 29, 2026, investigators arrested five men in connection with child exploitation offenses in the Town of Fishkill, located in Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

The arrests unfolded as follows:

May 28, 2026:

• Jaime M. Lucero Giron, 27, of New Windsor, was charged with Attempted Rape in the 2nd Degree, a Class E Felony.

• Gerber C. Flores, 26, of Newburgh, was charged with Attempted Rape in the 2nd Degree and Patronizing a Person for Prostitution in the 2nd Degree, both Class E Felonies.

May 29, 2026:

• Edwin Soriano Rutilo, 22, of Hopewell Junction, was charged with Attempted Rape in the 2nd Degree and Patronizing a Person for Prostitution in the 2nd Degree.

• Frank A. Martinez, 21, of Wappinger, was charged with Attempted Rape in the 2nd Degree.

• David W. Pawlikowski, 43, of Hyde Park, was charged with Attempted Rape in the 2nd Degree and Patronizing a Person for Prostitution in the 2nd Degree.

All five were arraigned in the Town of Fishkill Court and remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center. Bail was set at $50,000 cash, $200,000 bond, or $400,000 partially secured bond for each defendant.

The Power of Multi-Agency Collaboration

What makes this investigation stand out is not just the number of arrests but the depth of cooperation behind them. The New York State Police BCI, the ICAC Task Force, the FBI, and local Fishkill police did not work in silos. They pooled resources, intelligence, and expertise, executing a two-day operation that netted five suspects across two separate enforcement actions.

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing more than 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In fiscal year 2024 alone, ICAC task forces conducted approximately 203,467 investigations, leading to the arrest of more than 12,600 offenders nationwide. That kind of scale demonstrates why these partnerships matter.

The New York ICAC Task Force, housed within the State Police, received over 22,000 cybertips in 2023 alone. Over the last two years, that number has grown nearly 50 percent. Investigators are not just keeping up. They are pushing back.

What the Charges Mean

Under New York State law, a child is defined as an individual 16 years old or younger. The charges in this case include:

Attempted Rape in the 2nd Degree

This charge typically involves an adult attempting to engage in sexual conduct with someone under the age of consent. It is classified as a Class E Felony in New York, which carries potential prison time and mandatory sex offender registration.

Patronizing a Person for Prostitution in the 2nd Degree

This charge, also a Class E Felony, applies when an individual pays or agrees to pay for sexual conduct with a minor. Three of the five defendants face this charge in addition to the rape charge, suggesting a broader pattern of exploitation in this investigation.

These are not minor offenses. They carry lasting consequences, including potential incarceration, sex offender registration, and the permanent social and professional stigma that follows.

Why This Matters to Upstate New York

While this arrest took place in Dutchess County, the ripple effect reaches the entire upstate New York region, including the Mohawk Valley. The suspects were drawn from multiple Hudson Valley communities, including New Windsor, Newburgh, Hopewell Junction, Wappinger, and Hyde Park. This is not an isolated phenomenon confined to a single town or ZIP code. Child exploitation is a regional and national crisis, and investigators say predators are everywhere.

For communities like Utica and the broader Mohawk Valley, this case is a reminder that child safety online and in person demands constant vigilance. The same ICAC infrastructure that caught these five men in Fishkill operates statewide, which means local law enforcement agencies here are equipped and connected to the same powerful network.

Parents, educators, and community members across the region should view this case as both a victory and a wake-up call.

How These Investigations Work

Law enforcement does not wait for children to be harmed before acting. ICAC task forces are trained to conduct proactive and reactive investigations using undercover operations, digital forensics, and cybertip monitoring. According to the New York State Police ICAC page, agents are “equipped with advanced skills in utilizing online tools used by child predators.”

Predators often operate through:

• Online chat platforms and social media

• Apps and messaging services

• Solicitation through third parties

Once contact is made, investigators gather evidence carefully and legally before moving to make arrests, as happened in this two-day Fishkill operation.

How You Can Help Protect Children

The fight against child exploitation does not belong solely to law enforcement. It belongs to all of us.

Here is what you can do right now:

1. Talk to your children about online safety and the dangers of communicating with strangers online.

2. Monitor digital activity without invading privacy. Set up parental controls and use family-friendly browsing tools.

3. Report suspicious activity. If you suspect a child is being exploited, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST.

4. Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, report it. Law enforcement would rather investigate a false alarm than miss a real threat.

As the ICAC program states, “One of the best tools we have to prevent internet crimes against children is education.”

The Investigation Continues

The five men arrested in Fishkill are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, this investigation reflects a law enforcement community that is serious, coordinated, and relentless. With bail set high and all five defendants remanded to Dutchess County custody, authorities are treating these charges with the gravity they deserve.

Anyone with information about this case or similar incidents can contact the New York State Police Troop K office at 845-677-7430 or reach out to the NY State Police Newsroom.