Five men were arrested and charged in an undercover sting operation by the San Francisco Sheriff's Office after allegedly communicating on social media with officers posing as children.

The San Francisco District Attorney's Office and the SF Sheriff's Office announced on Wednesday the results of an undercover sting operation that took place between July 29 and July 31, in which undercover officers utilized internet platforms to identify adult subjects who were using these platforms to find and exploit children for sexual purposes. This was part of a national Internet Crimes Against Children Undercover Chat Operation, and the SF Sheriff's Office took part along with other Bay Area law enforcement agencies.

According to a release from the DA's office, five local men "each separately messaged with the undercover officers and engaged in graphic, sexual language indicating their intent to engage in sexual conduct with the children."

"Our deputies posed as underage children, or as adults with young children in order to identify individuals seeking to exploit minors online," Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said at a Wednesday press conference, noting that seven arrests were made, though only five are facing charges.

"The individuals arrested ranged in age from 18 to 50 years old. They came from different backgrounds and walks of life. That is an important reminder that there is no single profile of someone who commits these crimes," Sheriff Miyamoto said.

The five men have been identified as Jorge Nieto, 27, of San Francisco; Michael Pauter, 43, of San Mateo; Jhonny Rodriguez Diaz, 37, of Redwood City; Romuald Santiago, 32, of Daly City; and Reuben Teague, 50, of San Francisco.

Detectives and sheriff's deputies reported set up a house in San Francisco where they say all five men were told, after allegedly requesting to meet up in person, to come have a sexual encounter with a child.

"The undercover officers provided the address of a location in San Francisco, where Mr. Nieto, Mr. Pauter, Mr. Santiago, and Mr. Teague each separately showed up and confirmed that they went to that address to see the children," the DA's Office release states. "They then walked into the house and were each arrested by San Francisco Sheriff Deputies."

All five have been arraigned and have pleaded not guilty, and all five men remain in custody pending trial. The DA's office said that prosecutors moved have them held in custody "due to the public safety risk they pose."

Four of the men have been charged with two felony counts of meeting a minor for lewd purposes, in addition to misdemeanor counts of arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes. Rodriguez Diaz was only charged with one misdemeanor count of arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes.

Teague was additionally charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting, delaying, or obstructing a peace officer.