A 21-year-old California man is facing criminal charges for allegedly using Snapchat to solicit an 8-year-old girl for sex.
The Sacramento Bee reported that Gilberto Garcia-Bejarano was arrested January 2 as he arranged to meet the girl but was met detectives instead. Roseville police got involved January 1 after the girl’s mother found explicit Snapchat messages on her daughter’s cellphone.
Detectives accused the 21-year-old of sending the girl sexually-explicit images and asking her to send him nude images of herself. In addition to asking to meet the girl to have sex, detectives said that it was clear the suspect knew the child’s age, according to a statement posted to Facebook.
“What he did was absolutely sickening,” Carlos Cortez with the Roseville Police Department told KTXL.
“He agreed, knowing that she was only 8-years-old.”
Unaware he was corresponding with police, Garcia-Bejarano allegedly arrived at an apartment complex in Roseville, where he was swiftly taken into custody.
The station reported that he’s since been charged with h sending and soliciting explicit material from a minor, attempting to contact a minor for sexual purposes, and possessing false immigration documents. He’s being held at the South Placer County Jail on $100,000 bail.
Cortez also revealed that the 8-year-old had her phone a week before the man started harassing her.
“Sounded like a Christmas present, possibly. And see how fast, I mean,” he said.
Police said it’s not yet known whether Garcia-Bejarano victimized other children.
Parents who believe their child may have been exposed to the suspect are urged to contact Detective Ganguet at pganguet@roseville.ca.us.
[Featured Image: Gilberto Garcia-Bejarano/Roseville Police Department]