Hunter Rivera, the 24-year-old chairman of the Weld County Republican Party, was one of two men arrested Thursday on suspicion of trying to buy sex from Larimer County Sheriff’s Office investigators who posed as minors as part of an operation targeting child predators.

After news of Rivera’s arrest broke late Friday, multiple prominent Republicans denounced Rivera and called for his immediate resignation from the party position.

The sheriff’s office said in a news release that “several dozen people” responded to investigators who posed as minors offering sexual acts for sale on local websites and online forums. Two men — one of whom was Rivera — showed up at an agreed-upon location to pay for sex but were arrested and later booked into the county jail, the office said.

Rivera, who lives in Windsor, faces four felony charges, the sheriff’s office said: soliciting a child prostitute, internet luring of a child, soliciting to arrange a minor prostitute in a cybercrime, and attempted sexual assault on a child.

Rivera was being held at the Larimer County jail on a $6,500 cash-only bond but was in the process of being released, according to county records. His next scheduled court appearance is May 21.

“Children are not property to be bought or sold,” Sheriff John Feyen said in a statement. “Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and we won’t tolerate it in Larimer County. I hope this operation sends a strong message. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you try to hurt kids in our community, you will be held accountable.”

The sheriff’s office release stressed that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Rivera has been a fixture in Republican circles in recent years, both at the state Capitol, where he worked for several years as a legislative aide until last year, and in broader party activity.

After serving on multiple local local boards and chairing the Northern Colorado Young Republicans, Rivera ran unsuccessfully for Windsor Town Board in 2022, the Fort Collins Coloradan reported.

He served as an appointed member of the state GOP’s executive committee until last month, when the state party’s interim chair, Eric Grossman, removed him from the panel following delegates to the Republicans’ state assembly censuring members who had voted against filing a motion to close Colorado’s primary election to unaffiliated voters.

“Mr. Rivera should immediately resign,” Grossman told Colorado Politics in a text message. “I dismissed him from the excomm weeks ago after being censured by over 2,000 delegates and how fortuitous that decision looks now.”

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Windsor Republican who supported Rivera’s bid for county chair last year, issued a blistering statement condemning the allegations and calling on Rivera to be “replaced immediately” as party chair.

“These allegations are vile and indefensible. I pray to God there are not real victims out there. I am angry and disgusted,” Boebert said in a text message.

“We have zero tolerance in the Republican Party for anyone involved in these horrific crimes against children,” Boebert said. “The Weld County GOP needs to act right now to remove him and send a clear message: our party protects kids and upholds integrity. No excuses. No delays.”

The Weld County Republican Party said in a statement late Friday that the county party officers had called for his resignation and plan to remove him as soon as possible under the party’s bylaws.

“These allegations are deeply serious and disturbing. We recognize the gravity of the charges and the importance of allowing the legal process to proceed without interference,” the county party’s statement said. “Our prayers are for the truth to be revealed, for justice to be served, and for all those involved, including any potential victims, law enforcement, the courts, the accused, and their families.”

A joint statement issued by the state House and Senate Republicans called the charges “sickening, horrifying and beyond reprehensible” and demanded that Rivera resign his party position immediately.

“There is no defense for anyone who preys on children, no excuses, and no place for that anywhere near public life or our party,” the Republican legislators said. “We are calling on him as the Weld County Chair to resign immediately. There is no room in our party for these types of charges.”

The GOP legislators added: “We stand unequivocally with victims, with families, and with every law enforcement officer working to protect children from predators like this. These are the people we fight for every single day, and crimes against children deserve the strongest possible condemnation and accountability.”

Like Boebert, the Republican lawmakers expressed their gratitude to the sheriff’s office and its investigators for their work.

Rivera didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.