predator

Published on: August 7, 2020

Maryland Man Used Sextortion Against Many Women

A man from Germantown is facing criminal charges after he was accused twice in the same month of blackmailing at least six women in sextortion schemes.

22-year-old Michael Brendan Cooper was reportedly involved in a skirmish with a woman’s boyfriend after the man accused Cooper of trying to con his girlfriend into having sex by threatening to share explicit content of the woman with her employer and loved ones.

When the alleged victim’s boyfriend first learned about the possibility that his girlfriend was being shaken down by Cooper, he went with the woman after she made arrangements to meet with the suspected predator.

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Published on: June 15, 2017

Westminster Man who Downloaded More Child Pornography While on Bond is Sentenced

by Staycie R. Sena

Peter Herz, a 61-year old Westminster resident, pleaded guilty to a possession of child pornography charge in February. This offense is among many that are eligible for lifetime sex-offender registration. Before his arrest and incarceration, Herz reportedly had a job as a pianist and musical director for Laguna Beach’s “Pageant of the Masters.” Sources say he was also an accompanist at Cal State Fullerton’s Theater Department.

Herz was targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) “Operation Predator,” an initiative designed to protect children from sexual predators and to identify and rescue victims of child exploitation.

While Herz was out on bond and waiting for trial, he allegedly obtained new electronic devices and obtained new images of child pornography on them. In total, Herz was reportedly in possession of more than half a million images and roughly 400 videos of child pornography.

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Published on: December 1, 2016

Police claim parents give their daughter away as a gift to a sexual predator. 12 girls found living in his home.

by Staycie R. Sena

A man in Pennsylvania was charged with sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor after he allegedly fathered two children with a teen-aged girl who was given to him as a gift by her parents.

12 girls were allegedly found living in 51-year old Lee Kaplan’s home. Their ages ranged from 6 months to 18 years old. Police claim that the 18-year old was the mother of a 3-year old and a 6-month old child.

The girl’s father, Daniel Stoltzfus, is reported to have told officers that he and his wife Savilla, gave their daughter as a gift to Kaplan for helping them out of a “financial ruin” after “researching the legality of it on the internet.” According to police, Stoltzfus’ daughter was 14 when she got pregnant the first time and he was aware of her pregnancy.

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