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Federal agents say Timothy Bek created a phony facebook account to entice boys to send him explicit photos of themselves. They say Bek created the profile of Sarah Grayson, an attractive teenage girl.
"This case shines a bright light on a very serious problem," said U.S. Attorney Hochul. "Our children can encounter danger each and every time they log onto a computer or pick up a cell phone. Predators can be highly educated, cunning, extremely manipulative and willing to go to any lengths in order to target and destroy the innocence of a child. For these reasons, it’s crucial for parents to be vigilant in monitoring exactly what their kids are doing online and on the phone. Social media provides many great benefits but it also attracts those seeking to victimize children. The bottom line, the best defense is to be proactive and prevent such would be criminals from gaining access to our children."
Bek pleaded guilty to five counts of producing child pornography and a single count of possession of child porn.
Hochul adds Bek was working with a teacher in Texas to recruit others unwilling to give in to Bek's phony persona. "It was an absolutely dastardly scheme. Thank God that government and the investigators tracked Bek down," says Hochul, who noted Bek used sophisticated equipment to hide his identity.
Federal prosecutors said more than 13,500 child porn images were found on his personal computer.