Missouri man accused of soliciting explicit images from a Placer County child
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- A six-month investigation led to the arrest of a Missouri man.
- He’s accused of soliciting explicit images from a Placer County child.
- The Sheriff’s Office warned parents about social media apps used by online predators.
A six-month investigation culminated this week in authorities arresting a Missouri man accused of trying to obtain explicit images from a child in Placer County while communicating with the child online.
The 28-year-old Missouri man was being held Friday at the Marion County Jail. He’s awaiting extradition to Placer County, authorities said.
He was arrested on suspicion of committing a lewd or lascivious act with a child 14 or 15 years old, eliciting harmful material from a minor, communicating with a minor with the intent to commit an offense and possessing explicit material involving a minor, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.
Sheriff’s officials said the investigation began in April when detectives identified the suspect who had been communicating with a child in Placer County to obtain explicit material.
The detectives arrested the suspect on Tuesday with help from the U.S. Marshals Service, the St. Charles County Police Department in Missouri and the St. Charles Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Sheriff’s officials said this investigation is ongoing and there may be additional victims. Detectives asked anyone with information relevant to this investigation to call the Sheriff’s Office at 530-886-5375.
The Sheriff’s Office warned parents that online predators commonly target children on social media apps such as Kik, Omegle, Snapchat, Roblox and Discord, along with other risky online apps such as Yubo, Holla and Hidden “Vault.”
Sheriff’s officials offered these tips on how parents can help protect their children online:
- Have open conversations about what apps they use, who they talk to, and how they share content. Make it safe for them to ask questions.
- Check device settings, disable location sharing and “add by proximity” features. Set messaging options to “friends only.”
- Use parental controls including restricting app downloads without approval. Review installed apps regularly.
- Teach digital boundaries such as reminding children that nothing online truly disappears; screenshots and shares can happen instantly.
- Monitor time and usage by keeping digital devices in shared spaces and set reasonable time limits.
- Encourage reporting by making sure your child knows to tell you or another trusted adult if someone asks for explicit photos, pressures them to meet or makes them uncomfortable.
