Two men, including a 50-year-old West Hartford resident, were charged in a sting operation in Hartford on Thursday.

By Ronni Newton

A West Hartford man and a New Britain man were both arrested Thursday in Hartford and have been charged in connection with attempting to exchange money for sexual acts with a minor.

Hartford Police announced that Jeffrey Cunningham, 50, of South Quaker Lane in West Hartford and Christopher Cheong, 30, of Daily Avenue in New Britain were charged after responding to an undisclosed location in Hartford as part of an operation being conducted by the Hartford Police Department’s Special Investigations Division, in conjunction with FBI Crimes Against Children/Human Trafficking Task Force.

Both Cunningham and Cheong face charges of criminal attempt at illegal sexual contact with a minor under 16, criminal attempt at second-degree sexual assault, and criminal attempt at commercial sexual abuse of a minor. All charges are felonies, and both suspects were taken into custody and initially held on $500,000 bond.

Cunningham remains in custody on $300,000 court-set bond and is due to be arraigned on Aug. 9, according to online court records. Records indicate that Cheong was released after posting $200,000 surety bond and he is also due in court on Aug. 9.

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