28-02-2025
Auburn nail salon operator among 11 arrested in Opelika child sex sting
OPELIKA, Ala. (WRBL) — A multi-agency child exploitation sting led by the Opelika Police Department has resulted in the arrest of 11 men accused of attempting to meet minors for sex. Among those charged is 29-year-old Quyen Huu Nguyen, an Auburn resident who operates Queen Nails and Spa on South Gay Street in downtown Auburn.
Nguyen faces two counts of Prostitution with a Minor, two counts of Child Solicitation by Computer, and two counts of Traveling to Meet a Child for an Unlawful Sex Act.
According to court records, Nguyen is out on a $260,000 bond and is barred from contact with individuals under 16 years old, except for immediate family members like a child or sibling. A hearing to appoint legal counsel is scheduled for April 2025. WRBL spoke with a representative from Queen Nails, who stated Nguyen is no longer working inside the salon.
The arrests stem from an undercover operation conducted by the Opelika Police Department in partnership with the Lee County District Attorney's Office, Homeland Security, and Covenant Rescue Group, a nonprofit dedicated to combating human trafficking.
Investigators posed as minors in online chat rooms and social media before arranging meetings with suspects, who allegedly believed they were meeting teenage girls for sexual encounters. Instead, they were met by law enforcement officers and arrested.
Those arrested on February 20 and 21 include:
Courtney Avery, 40, Opelika, AL
Grant Lee, 43, Johns Creek, GA
Ismel Cano Montealegre, 21, Montgomery, AL
Victor Dowdell II, 27, Auburn, AL
Javier Perez, 25, Auburn, AL
Jacob Fahringer, 23, Auburn, AL
Arnulfo Diaz-Alvarado, 27, Dothan, AL
Efraim Perez Vaquero, 22, Union Springs, AL
Seungyun Lee, 28, Auburn, AL
Quyen Nguyen, 29, Auburn, AL
Marcus Wilson, 44, Auburn, AL
Most face allegations of Prostitution with a Minor, Child Solicitation by Computer, and Traveling to Meet a Child for an Unlawful Sex Act.
Authorities say the operation is part of a broader effort to identify and apprehend online predators targeting minors.
The Opelika Police Department urges anyone with information related to this case to contact the Detective Division at (334) 705-5220 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665.
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