A 25-year-old Florida man, Jacob Lozano, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for luring three boys online through online gaming and social media.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, in 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip from a mother who discovered sexually explicit images and messages on her 11-year-old son’s cell phone. Scottsdale Police began investigating and found the messages were coming from a man in Florida whom the boy met while playing Fortnite.
An undercover detective posing as the victim started messaging the defendant who continued sending explicit images of himself and child sexual abuse materials. During the investigation, police discovered two more victims in Maricopa County whom Lozano messaged on Discord and coerced into making videos over a webcam.
Lozano pled guilty to two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, a Class Two Felony; and three counts of Attempt to Commit Aggravated Luring of a Minor, a Class Three Felony.
“Jacob Lozano found a child’s online playground and used it as a means for his own gratification,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “I commend the parent in this case who was paying close attention. She saw what her son was receiving through his online gaming and called law enforcement. That’s the kind of vigilance that pays off for her child and children everywhere.”
