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By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

Alabaster – On the night of Friday, July 21, a man from Calera, Alabama was arrested for allegedly traveling to meet a child for sex. It has now been revealed that this one is only part of a larger sting operation undergone by law enforcement as five other men have been arrested. One of these other men is an Alabaster local named Robertin Chavez Gallegos.

This story first broke when  Calera resident and freelance photographer Marvin Avery Gentry, 57, was arrested and charged with purportedly traveling to Homewood in an attempt to meet a minor for sexual relations. His bond was set at $60,000.00

Gentry has worked as a freelance photographer for the sites such as AL.com, USA Today Sports, the Associated Press and Auburn University at Montgomery. He has also worked for the AHSAA as the flag photographer for the organization when it comes to state championships and tournaments. 

It has now come to light that Gentry and five other men were apprehended by Operation Cross County,  a two-day cross-department sting operation pulled off by The Homewood Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit and the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Another Shelby County resident aside from Gentry was caught by Operation Cross County, a man named Robertin Chavez Gallegos, 64. Gallegos is a resident of Alabaster and is being charged with allegedly soliciting a child for sexual relations over social media and then traveling to purportedly meet a minor for intercourse. His bond was set at $30,000.00.

At the time of this writing, both Gentry and Gallegos have bonded out and await trial.

The other four men arrested as part of Operation Cross County are:

– Decarlos Brown, 23 of Birmingham, electronic solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor for sex. Bond is set at $100,000.00

– Logan Sullivan, 30 of Homewood, distribution of obscene material. Bond is set at $45,000

– John Washburn, 37 of Birmingham, electronic solicitation of a child, traveling to meet a minor for sex, and transmitting obscene material. Bond amount is set at $150,000

– Randall Manweiler, 27 of Mount Olive, electronic solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor for sex. Bond is set at $90,000

The investigation is still ongoing, and details will be released as they become available.