Docs: Anderson man sought nude images, videos from 12-year-old girl on Facebook Messenger

ANDERSON, Ind. - An Anderson man is charged with promotion of child sex trafficking and child solicitation after his interactions with a 12-year-old girl.




Anderson police arrested Austin M. Roy, 25, following a months-long investigation into inappropriate interactions with a girl who was 12 years old at the time.




According to court documents, the investigation began in late September 2024, when a woman reported her daughter had received inappropriate Facebook messages from Roy, who was described as a family friend.

The juvenile told investigators that "nothing physical happened" but Roy wanted her to send "nudes and stuff" in exchange for a vape pen. The girl said she didn't send him any nude photos, although she sent him videos of her doing TikTok dances in her room.




She said Roy never provided her with a vape pen or any other gifts. She said he was aware she was 12 years old.




After requesting a record of the pair's interactions from Facebook, investigators reviewed their interactions. They discovered the girl had searched for Roy a few times and they had a brief conversation that wasn't criminal in nature. Roy ended up blocking her, according to court documents.




A forensic analysis of their Facebook Messenger conversations performed in January showed the girl asked Roy to buy marijuana and vape products for her. Most messages that were sexual in nature were unsent by both parties.




Investigators said, using context clues, it was apparent that Roy "requested photos or videos that were sexual in nature" when the girl asked for a vape pen.




The girl said she wouldn't "sell her body," to which Roy replied, "If your [sic] feeling nice then it would be cool if you did that but I'll see when I can get one."




The girl then had second thoughts, telling Roy she didn't want to do it because she thought of him "like an older brother."




After several attempts to contact Roy, police were able to interview him in February. He said the girl acted "weird" around him and he "tried to avoid her."




Still, they interacted on Facebook Messenger, he told police. He said the interactions started off innocently enough before they turned "more and more provocative." He eventually took her off his Facebook account and blocked her.




According to court documents, Roy said Facebook Messenger "started sending messages that weren't from him." It got worse and the girl sent him images and videos of her twerking. He claimed his account was hacked.




"Roy stated he never sent anything inappropriate or provocative to have the victim keep sending those photos and videos," according to court documents.




When asked about some of the sexually explicit unsent messages, Roy said he didn't type them and claimed he didn't know anything about them. Police then told Roy they didn't believe anyone hacked his account. He said he never gave the girl a vape pen or any other gifts.




He also told police he thought the girl was at least 15 years old.




Roy said he didn't remember saying anything that was "extremely out of proportion" but also conceded he "could have been drunk" when messaging the girl because some of the messages happened around his birthday.




He also claimed he was just "blowing smoke" or joking during the interactions, according to court documents.




Roy eventually told police he "did probably cross the line a couple times" when interacting with the girl and wondered why it was "all on him" when the girl was "provoking everything."




During a subsequent interview in March, the girl said Roy deleted "all the 'bad' messages" from their exchanges, including ones in which he told her he wanted to see her in person and touch her. She didn't immediately tell anyone because she didn't want him to get into trouble.




She again denied sending him nude photos or videos.




Roy is charged with a Level 3 felony count of promotion of child sexual trafficking and a Level 5 felony count of child solicitation. He had an initial hearing on Monday.





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/docs-anderson-man-sought-nude-images-videos-from-12-year-old-girl-on-facebook-messenger/