A 53-year-old man is facing a lengthy list of child porn and sex-related charges after police allege he used a popular social media app to offer junior high-aged girls drugs and alcohol in exchange for nudes and sexual contact.
The Edmonton Police Service said it began investigating earlier this month after receiving a report of a sexual assault on a young girl.
Police said their investigations revealed between December 2023 and March of this year, the accused allegedly befriended three girls — two 14 year olds and a 12 year old — using the social media application Snapchat.
Police said he used the username @used2bc. As of Thursday, that account went by the name “Ahgfes Lisbeb” but no other details such as Snapscore or account age were available.
Police allege the accused offered to purchase vapes, marijuana and alcohol for the youths in exchange for nude images, videos and in-person sexual contact.
“We are concerned that other young females may have been potentially lured by (the accused) through Snapchat,” said EPS’ child protection section Det. Nicole Davie.
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All of the youths are being supported by the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre.
Horacio Benitez, 53, has been charged with:
- Two counts of sexual assault
- Two counts of sexual interference, which is touching a person who is under the age of consent — in Canada that’s under 16 years old— for a sexual purpose
- Two counts of invitation to sexual touching
- Two counts of luring of a child
- Two counts of luring a child
- Making child pornography
- Possessing child pornography
- Making sexually explicit available to a child
- Two counts of obtaining sexual service of a child for consideration
- Two counts of distributing cannabis to youth (person under 18 years old)
“We believe that there may be other victims out there. If you have been in contact with Benitez, we encourage you to come forward and report it to police,” Davie said.
Benitez’s next court appearance is Tuesday, Apr. 2.
Horacio Benitez, 53, has been charged with several sexual and child pornography offences.
Edmonton Police Service
Anyone who believes they have been victimized by the accused is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone.
Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
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