A man who was out on bail following a 2025 arrest tied to an undercover child exploitation operation in Reno has been arrested again, this time on new charges involving child sex abuse material.
Nathan Neal, 29, was taken into custody on April 2, 2026, in Sparks by members of the Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit. Authorities say Neal was still out on bail at the time of his arrest.
He was booked into the Washoe County Jail on charges of possession of child sex abuse material, nine counts of distribution of child sex abuse material, and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Neal was arrested on October 16, 2025, following a two-day operation targeting adults attempting to engage in sex acts with minors in Reno. According to a probable cause report, Neal allegedly used the app “Sniffies” to communicate with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old boy and arranged a meeting for sexual activity.
In that case, Neal faces multiple charges, including luring a child with the use of a computer, attempted kidnapping, attempted statutory sexual seduction, attempted abuse of a child for sexual exploitation, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. That case remains active.
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