ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rafael Rosas faced a local judge again Tuesday after he was arrested as part of an online sting.

Rosas is one of eight suspects taken down in a statewide sting. Law enforcement officers say the suspects thought they were talking to children, but they were talking to undercover agents. 

This is the second time Rosas’ pretrial detention hearing was delayed. His defense attorney brought up some issues, and the judge postponed it for the second time.

“Honor, I am going to look for a continuous of this hearing. We need some additional time for a couple of reasons, and I lay it out one, we need the full discovery regarding the messaging that was alleged to have taken place, either through text messages or through an application,” said Raymond Maestas, a defense attorney for Rosas. 

Investigators say Rosas was talking to who he thought was a 15-year-old girl on social media apps. 

Undercover agents say they told Rosas several times they were underage, but he only asked if they were local. 

At one point, Rosas reportedly asks if the person he is talking to is a cop and gets suspicious. But the conversation continues anyway, and investigators say he asked for pictures and alludes to wanting to perform oral sex.

Investigators say, in one of the text messages, Rosas says he can’t write anymore because it would be incriminating evidence since he’s talking to a 15 year old.

As of Tuesday night, Rosas is in the Bernaillo County jail. His pretrial detention hearing has been reset for next week.

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