Graphic by Gabrielle Salgado
C.C. Unit — a “self-described child advocacy group” that poses as minors online to catch predators — carried out a “sting operation” to arrest Scott Woeckel, Pepperdine manager, audiovisual production and information systems Saturday, Aug. 12, according to the Malibu Daily News’ Instagram.
C.C. Unit communicated with Woeckel via an online app, posing as a 13-year-old girl, according to the Malibu Daily News. Woeckel allegedly asked for photos of the underage girl. Glendale Police Department made the arrest.
Police arrested Woeckel at the Glendale Galleria mall, where he was allegedly intending on meeting the underage girl for sex, according to the C.C. Unit’s video of the arrest posted on Twitter Aug. 12.
Woeckel is an employee of the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, according to the staff directory.
“Pepperdine University placed a staff member on leave early Sunday morning following his arrest by the Glendale Police Department late Saturday night on suspicion of soliciting a minor,” Pepperdine wrote in an Aug. 15 statement to the Graphic. “The A/V staff member, Scott Woeckel, will remain on leave pending investigation. The University takes seriously such accusations and will always take appropriate action in such situations.”
This is the second arrest of someone connected to Pepperdine in relation to targeting minors for sex in two months. Police arrested Barry Fike, who previously taught at the University, in July for allegedly contacting a minor to have sex, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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Contact Samantha Torre via Twitter (@Sam_t394) or email: sam.torre@pepperdine.edu