Detectives believe the suspect or suspects live in a foreign country and are targeting girls between 12 and 15 years old. There are at least 20 victims nationwide, some in El Paso County, and detectives expect there will be more victims as the investigation moves forward.
“Once those images are on the internet they’re there forever and you can never take that back,” said Detective Jason Darbyshire, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit.
In this case there are hundreds of pornographic images of teen girls that are likely being sold on child porn websites. With 20 known victims, detectives believe there are likely more.
“I expect once I review more information based on some warrants I’ve executed that number will grow exponentially,” said Darbyshire.
Darbyshire said in every case, the suspect pretends to be a teen boy named “Alex Levin” and randomly friend requests girls on Facebook and other social media sites. He begins a conversation and asks for a regular photo of what the girl looks like. But after he gets the photo, he threatens to Photoshop the girl’s picture onto pornographic images and share them on other websites unless the girl sends him actual nude photos of themselves.
“He then states if they refuse to comply with his demands to send actual nude photos he will notify someone from their friends list, it’s usually a parent, a sibling, something like that based on the same last name and these girls are obviously frightened of that happening so they cooperate,” said Darbyshire.
The victims are all across the country and the Sheriff’s Office is warning parents and any potential victims of not just this scam, but others like it.
“I don’t think a lot of parents realize, or maybe don’t want to believe that this is going on but it definitely is a daily thing,” said Darbyshire.
Darbyshire said parents should monitor their child’s social media accounts, have access to all passwords and talk with their children on a regular basis about the dangers of accepting friend requests or communicating with people on social media that they don’t know directly.
“Much like you wouldn’t want to open up the door someone when you’re not home don’t open your social media or expose yourself or your family to those types of dangers,” said Darbyshire.
Darbyshire said even though they believe the person or persons responsible are outside of the U.S., he thinks they’ll be able locate and arrest them with the help of the FBI and international police agencies.
The picture of the teen boy being used was obtained from online modeling sites and detectives are working to contact the teen in the pictures, as he is also a victim in the scam.
Source: Sheriff’s Office warns of internet predator blackmailing teen girls
