A Simi Valley teenager is facing nearly 20 felony charges for allegedly exploiting minors for sex and possessing more than 600 images depicting the sexual exploitation of children and infants, authorities said. It was announced Friday.
The 17-year-old was arrested Tuesday after the FBI executed a search warrant at the boy’s home, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said the search and arrest followed an investigation that the District Attorney’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Unit began in August after receiving multiple reports of mass distribution of child pornography online.
The boy is currently being held at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility in Oxnard, where he is charged with 15 felonies for exploiting a minor for sexual performance and seven felonies related to possession and distribution of child pornography, authorities said. has been done.
The boy also faces two special charges for possessing more than 600 images of child sexual abuse and images depicting sadomasochistic acts, authorities said.
The boy, whose name has not been released, made his first court appearance Thursday and is scheduled to return for a pretrial conference on Dec. 31.
The Simi Valley Police Department and the Ventura County High Tech Task Force assisted the FBI in executing the search warrant.
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