A Melville man has arrested on charges of solicitation of child pornography on social media and coercion of a juvenile victim through “sextortion,” Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said Friday.
Bradley Garyn, 27, is charged with use of a child in a sexual performance, disseminating indecent material to minors, coercion, criminal solicitation, and endangering the welfare of a child.
“This is a scheme that is unfortunately becoming more and more common, and that is adult males preying upon younger girls – including juveniles and children – to get them to send inappropriate photos and videos, including nude photos or videos involving sex acts, via social media,” Sini said. “They often engage in what we call ‘sextortion,’ which is essentially threatening victims into sending these photos and videos or else the perpetrator will widely distribute the explicit images that were previously sent. But our message to these predators is that you cannot hide behind a screen. We will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Computer Crimes Unit, began investigating in September 2020 following a report to law enforcement that Garyn had allegedly coerced a juvenile female victim into providing him with explicit photographs and videos via Snapchat.
The investigation found that Garyn would contact girls on Snapchat under multiple usernames, including “ipay4feetpics,” “paying4feetpics” and “PayU4Selfies,” and offer them $10 payment in exchange for “selfies” or photographs of their feet. Upon receipt of the photos, Garyn allegedly paid the victims electronically via mobile payment apps, including Cash App, or in Amazon gift certificates.
After establishing communication with the victims, Garyn allegedly solicited increasingly explicit photographs and videos in exchange for higher amounts of money, up to $500. In one instance, Garyn allegedly coerced a victim into sending him sexually explicit photographs and video by threatening to disseminate intimate images of her in his possession, a tactic known as “sextortion.”
The investigation, which is ongoing, has revealed evidence of 14 alleged victims who were between the ages of 12 and 15 years old at the time the crimes were committed. Sini urges any additional victims to contact the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office by calling 631-853-4161 or emailing [email protected]
“To all the parents out there: Please monitor your child’s usage of social media,” Sini said. “If you cannot effectively monitor your child’s use of social media, do not allow them to use it. As parents, as a society, and certainly for us as law enforcement, it is imperative that we all remain vigilant in protecting our children on the internet.”
“This case offers an opportunity for parents to speak with their children about the dangers of social media and is a reminder to always be aware of what your children are doing and who they are talking to,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. “I commend all the agencies involved for their efforts in arresting a dangerous, sexual predator who was exploiting young females.”
Garyn was arraigned Friday in Suffolk County First District Court and bail was set at $200,000 cash, $750,000 bond, or $2.5 million partially-secured bond. He is being represented by Howard Samuels and is due back in court on Dec. 9.
If convicted of the top count, Garyn faces a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison.