Two men were charged with attempted second-degree rape after a joint child-exploitation investigation in Cayuga County, according to an Oct. 5 arrest release from the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said the operation took place Aug. 30 and 31 with the New York State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which investigates online exploitation of children. The release did not describe the conduct underlying each charge or identify a specific victim.
Oo Zai Pwa, 37, of Utica, and Kenneth Weigand, 31, of Aurelius, were arrested Aug. 31 and each charged with attempted rape in the second degree, a Class E felony, the sheriff's office said.
Both men were held at the Cayuga County Jail following centralized arraignment. As of the Oct. 5 release, Pwa had been released on his own recognizance, while Weigand remained in custody on $20,000 bail.
The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, Auburn Police Department, New York State Police, Finger Lakes Drug Task Force, Cayuga County District Attorney's Office and FBI took part in the operation, according to Sheriff Brian Schenck.
Schenck said the agencies will continue working together to identify people who target children online.
The sheriff's office said further investigations connected to the operation are ongoing.
Anyone with information may call the sheriff's office at 315-253-1222 or submit a tip through the county's online tip page or SaferWatch app. The sheriff's office said tips may be anonymous.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
