A Chicago man has been arrested and accused of sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl from Massachusetts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Prosecutors in Massachusetts said Joshua Rogers, 30, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children for allegedly convincing the girl to send him sexually explicit videos of herself on Snapchat, a social media and messaging app popular among teenagers.
Prosecutors said the girl’s parents notified police in Brookline, Massachusetts, west of Boston, in July. The parents allegedly found their daughter had been talking online with Rogers, who allegedly posed as a 17-year-old boy “John” who lives in Boston.
On Snapchat, prosecutors alleged Rogers coerced the girl into performing sexually explicit acts and documenting them in photos and videos. An investigation traced the messages to Rogers in Chicago, prosecutors said.
In one instance, after the girl asked Rogers to “come get me,” Rogers said he would only meet the girl in person if she did what he demanded on video, according to the complaint.
Prosecutors said Rogers also discussed either kidnapping the girl or her running away from home.
Rogers was arrested in Chicago on Wednesday, prosecutors said. His first court appearance in Boston has yet to be scheduled.
If convicted, Rogers could face up to 30 years in prison.