California man accused of persuading dozens of young victims online to send child sexual abuse material
A 24-year-old Sacramento County man has been arrested on suspicion of posing as a girl online to persuade young victims to produce and send child sexual abuse material, authorities said.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said it had identified more than 80 victims in the United States and alleged that Demetrius Carl Davis had contacted “well over 100 children” in 2020 and 2021, including some in other countries, pretending to be a young girl named Lizzy.
The Department of Homeland Security is assisting investigators in identifying more than 15 international victims, Sgt. Rod Grassman said in a video release.
The victims were typically aged 6 to 13.
“Davis is suspected of generating numerous fictitious social media accounts, portraying himself as a prepubescent female child named Lizzy,” Grassman said.
Two brothers were riding to work when they were hit by a Jeep Cherokee, killing one of them, police said.
Davis befriended and groomed victims as Lizzy, speaking to them “in sexually explicit language” and sending them child sexual abuse material before asking them to produce and send images, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Davis’ arrest Tuesday comes after sheriff’s investigators served a search warrant at his residence in December.
The Sheriff’s Office had received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about online accounts uploading sexually abusive material involving children.
Numerous recordings were found on Davis’ electronic devices, authorities said.
Davis was booked into Sacramento County jail Tuesday on suspicion of a lewd or lascivious act with a child under 14, a felony.
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