Convicted Sex Offender Arrested for Soliciting Minors on Reddit

SANTA ANA, California – A convicted sex offender has been arrested for allegedly attempting to solicit minors on the internet platform Reddit.

Shaw Warrington, 34, of San Juan Capistrano, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison after his arrest today on a five-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he attempted to use the Reddit internet platform to solicit sex with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl, but instead was an undercover law enforcement official.

The indictment alleges that in January and February of 2023, Warrington used the Reddit website to attempt to solicit sex from minors in Orange County. An undercover law enforcement official responded to Warrington’s requests and eventually scheduled a meeting at a Newport Beach shopping center, where Warrington believed he would engage in criminal sexual activity.

Warrington was arraigned today in United States District Court in Santa Ana and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. A trial date of July 16 has been scheduled in this case. A federal magistrate judge ordered Warrington jailed without bond.

According to the indictment, Warrington’s actions are a clear violation of the law and a serious threat to the safety of our children. ‘This case is a stark reminder of the dangers of online predators and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to protect our communities,’ said Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin J. Campbell of the Santa Ana Branch Office.

The FBI and the Newport Beach Police Department are investigating this matter, and Warrington faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison if convicted.

Warrington was previously convicted in 2013 of meeting a minor with the intent to engage in lewd conduct, which requires him to register as a sex offender.

Law enforcement also seized a firearm and more than 350 rounds of ammunition from Warrington’s residence, which he is prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.