YAKIMA — A Yakima County Superior Court Judge has sentenced an Ellenburg man netted in a nationwide child sex trafficking sting to nearly six years in prison, according to an announcement from Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

Bradley Tschauner, 32, pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to commit rape of a child. Following his release, Tschauner will be required to register as a sex offender for 15 years and will be under community supervision for three years, according to the press release.

According to the press release, Tschauner was nabbed in a nationwide sting of suspected pedophiles in late 2019 when a group of state, local and federal law enforcement officers coordinated by the Washington State Patrol’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force posed online as minors offering sex, or as individuals offering minors for sex. The press release noted that 16 men were arrested when they arrived at pre-arranged locations in and around Yakima in mid-November 2019.

“I was proud to partner with the Washington State Patrol and Yakima County Prosecutor’s Office to ensure those who want to prey on children are held accountable,” Ferguson said. “Operations like these are a testament to what interagency partnerships can accomplish. The work of law enforcement across the state to protect children is vital.”

According to a WSP press release from November 2019, the operation was part of continuing series of stings known as “Operation Net Nanny” began in August 2015 has led to the arrest of nearly 300 suspects and freed more than 30 children.