A minor's complaint in Tarragona uncovers an online sexual predator with eight victims in Spain

BarcelonaA minor's complaint in Tarragona has uncovered a sexual predator who used fake Instagram profiles to obtain child pornography and had harassed at least eight victims across Spain, six of them minors. The 26-year-old man lived in Santander and had even arranged in-person meetings with some of the victims, both minors and adults. With the man now in custody, the police investigation continues to clarify the full extent of the crimes.

The minor in Tarragona who reported the first case explained to the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) that a man had contacted her on Instagram and asked for sexual photos and videos. The man pressured her to provide this child pornography, even threatening her and her family. The initial investigation by the Mossos revealed a second victim, also a minor. In her case, the young woman explained that another Instagram user—belonging to the man himself—had contacted her and even shared an intimate image. Police approached it as a case of online child sexual harassment and discovered that the man had created several fake social media profiles using another boy's image to gain the victims' trust. With this false identity, he chatted with the minors until he gained their confidence and then asked them for intimate images. He then coerced and threatened them with obtaining more sexual material. Among other things, he told them that if they didn't comply, he would distribute the images or harm their families. Prior sexual abuse

Once the police identified the man, they discovered he already had a record with the National Police for sexual abuse. When they searched his home, they seized computer equipment containing a large number of images of other girls. The police believe there could be other underage victims from across the country, and the man was arrested on December 15th. The National Police's cybercrime unit in Santander has been involved in the case, and so far, investigators have identified and located six girls, who have also filed complaints. All are residents of Cantabria, and four are minors.