The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A man who used to work for the FBI as a contractor has been formally charged with sexually exploiting youngsters by allegedly threatening to take his own life if they did not share sexual material with him.
According to reports, a concerned mother with a 13-year-old son notified the authorities when she found out he was talking to a stranger on Discord who identified themselves as a man in Virginia. The man reportedly told the child that he worked for an intelligence agency.
It was learned that the boy first encountered the man in an online video game, and it allegedly led to the man getting the child to take off his clothing. The man also allegedly gave the teen $100. It was reported that, in time, the boy did not want to engage with him anymore, and he blocked him on Snapchat.
The authorities opened an investigation and reported that they discovered additional youngsters who had interacted with the suspect online and had similar experiences. One of them was allegedly asked to go to the suspect’s house. They also reportedly discovered that the suspect told the children he would commit suicide if they stopped talking to him.
Detectives used the IP address to try to locate the suspect. They found out who it was assigned to, leading them to a former FBI contractor from Virginia.
He has been housed at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center since May, and he has now been indicted for one count of attempted coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt of child pornography. He could be sentenced to at least 15 years if he is found guilty of the charges. If he is given the maximum, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a sexual offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.