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Internet safety

Man Travels 2,000 Miles To Assault Minor, Walks Into Police Trap In DMV Man Travels 2,000 Miles To Assault Minor, Walks Into Police Trap In DMV
Man Travels 2,000 Miles To Assault Minor, Walks Into Police Trap In DMV A Utah man who thought he was meeting a minor in Virginia was instead met by undercover detectives in a sting operation targeting online predators, officials announced. Jonathan Craig O’Neil, 39, was arrested on Saturday, March 16 after he traveled to Fairfax County to sexually assault a minor, according to Fairfax County police. O’Neil had been communicating online with individuals he believed to be underage, but, in fact, were detectives from the department’s Child Exploitation Unit who were on the other end, police said.  When he arrived in Virginia, officers were waiting. His arr…
Don't Fall For This Fake Email Scam, Feds Warn Don't Fall For This Fake Email Scam, Feds Warn
Don't Fall For This Fake Email Scam, Feds Warn A new scam is targeting people with a fake email and officials are urging the public to stay vigilant. The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued the warning about fraudulent emails impersonating the agency.  These emails, which carry the subject line “Claim Benefits!”, falsely claim that recipients must apply for their 2025 Social Security benefits through a provided link. How Scam Works The scam email appears to come from SSA and directs users to a fake website disguised to look like SSA’s official page. However, clicking on the link l…
Delete These Suspicious Texts Immediately, FBI Warns Delete These Suspicious Texts Immediately, FBI Warns
Delete These Suspicious Texts Immediately, FBI Warns The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued an urgent warning about a widespread text message scam designed to steal personal and financial information from unsuspecting victims. Known as “smishing” (SMS phishing), the scam involves fraudulent texts impersonating toll and package delivery services to trick recipients into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive data. According to cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42, cybercriminals have registered over 10,000 fraudulent domains as part of this operation, targeting at least 11 states and one Canadian province. Key…
Convicted Sex Offender In Maryland Gets Decades In Prison For Preying On Minors Online: Feds Convicted Sex Offender In Maryland Gets Decades In Prison For Preying On Minors Online: Feds
Convicted Sex Offender In Maryland Gets Decades In Prison For Preying On Minors Online: Feds A previously convicted sex offender in Maryland who targeted underage girls using online apps is going to spend decades in prison, federal authorities announced. Beltsville resident Brian Patrick Werth, 40, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison after being convicted by a jury at a three-day trial for producing child sexual abuse material. Werth was convicted of coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and engaging with a minor as a registered sex offender. According to court documents, between January 2021 and June 2021, Werth communicated with unde…
MD Man, 26, Wanted For Soliciting Explicit Photos From PA Teen: Affidavit MD Man, 26, Wanted For Soliciting Explicit Photos From PA Teen: Affidavit
MD Man, 26, Wanted For Soliciting Explicit Photos From PA Teen: Affidavit A Maryland man is waned for pressuring a 15-year-old girl to send explicit photos and describing violent sexual acts in Snapchat messages, York County Regional Police detailed in court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Thursday, Nov. 21. Brady A. Knatz, 26, of Hampstead, MD, began communicating with the York County teen, identified as S.C., on Sept. 25, 2024, using the Snapchat username "scooby_snacs," according to the affidavit of probable cause. Knatz allegedly initiated the conversation by asking S.C. if she wanted a "sugar daddy" and revealed he was 24 years old, police said. S.C. to…
Men Soliciting Sex From Minors Busted During Undercover Operation: Washington County Sheriff Men Soliciting Sex From Minors Busted During Undercover Operation: Washington County Sheriff
Men Soliciting Sex From Minors Busted During Undercover Operation: Washington County Sheriff Three human trafficking suspects have been taken off the streets following an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office. This week, the agency's Digital Investigations & Forensics Unit arrested three men during an operation focused on Internet-based chats targeting adults who sought out minors for sex, officials say. Investigators used different social media platforms via covert chats and undercover law enforcement officers to chat with and meet up with those adults who solicit sex from children. During the operation, multiple Internet-based contacts and in-pers…
Maryland Man Sentenced For Posing As Teen Boy To Entice Minors To Send Photos, Videos: DOJ Maryland Man Sentenced For Posing As Teen Boy To Entice Minors To Send Photos, Videos: DOJ
Maryland Man Sentenced For Posing As Teen Boy To Entice Minors To Send Photos, Videos: DOJ A 37-year-old Maryland man will spend nearly two decades behind bars after being sentenced for posing as a teen boy to entice minors to send sexually illicit photos and videos to him online. Derrell Lamar Hooker Orange - also known simply as “Orange” has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison, followed by 12 years of supervised release for enticement of a minor to produce child pornography and possession of child pornography, the Department of Justice announced. US Attorney Erek Barron said that as part of his plea, Orange admitted to posing as a 16-year-old boy for several months in…
Maryland State Police Issues Warning Of Online Scam Involving The Sexual Extortion Of Minors Maryland State Police Issues Warning Of Online Scam Involving The Sexual Extortion Of Minors
Maryland State Police Issues Warning Of Online Scam Involving The Sexual Extortion Of Minors The rise of sexual predators targeting minors on social media has led Maryland State Police officials to issue a warning to parents. Authorities said that state police investigators have received multiple reports of minors being contacted by other social media users who began conversing with them over messaging services on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. “Investigators believe online predators may often give the impression they are romantically interested in the minor being targeted, to gain their trust,” they stated. “As the chats progress, the suspect user will request sexually illic…