Four men arrested in underage internet operation

(CNS) - Four men were arrested after they showed up at a Santa Clarita Valley hotel where they allegedly intended to pay for sex with girls between the ages of 14 and 16 years old, authorities said.

The arrests were a part of an undercover operation set up by the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Taskforce during which detectives posted sexual ads to Craigslist and Backpage.com, posing as minors, Lt. Barry Hall of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Information Bureau said.

When prospective sex buyers showed up to the hotel on April 27, they were arrested, Hall said.

Detectives arrested Peter Ghanem, 35, of Canyon Country, Salvador Buenrostro, 47, of Pacoima, Thomas Wilkerson, 44, of Winnetka, and Mohammed Rahman, 26, of Van Nuys.

All four were charged with arranging -- and showing up to -- a meeting with a minor for the purpose of having sexual contact with them.

Additionally, Rahman was charged with possessing ecstasy, which he allegedly intended to share with the underage girl, according to Hall.

The bail for all four men was set at $75,000.