Federal Agent Hacks into the Accounts of Thousands of Young Girls
A jury in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has found Bradley M. Cox, 30, of Kokomo, guilty of all six counts in a superseding indictment that included extortion, production, and receipt of child pornography.
Cox was charged with threatening to publicly release nude pictures of a Rochester, Indiana, man unless he handed over his social media login credentials. The defendant then used the hacked account to find thousands of nude pictures of women and girls, including several high school students.
Through forensic analysis of Cox’s work computer and cellular telephone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified Cox as the person using the relevant social media accounts, despite his use of sophisticated concealment efforts.
“Terrorizing young victims through social media and using the anonymity of the internet to hide will never be tolerated by the FBI,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “This case highlights the perseverance and dedication of our agents and law enforcement partners.”
Cox’s scheme involved threatening victims to send him more explicit pictures and videos, and he even bragged online about having a 15-year-old girl “on the payroll.” One of the victims refused to comply, and as a result, Cox posted her nude pictures to a pornographic website.
Cox is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2021. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Fulton County Police Department, the Rochester, Indiana Police Department, and the Peru Indiana Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley J. Miller Lowery and Sarah E. Nokes prosecuted the case.
Related Federal Cases
- James Venable, Child Pornography Possession, Indiana 2022 · Illinois
- Adrian Grisanti, Child Pornography Scheme, Indiana 2023 · New Hampshire
- Timothy Ryan, Child Pornography, Indiana 2023 · Indiana
- Shane C Collins, Producing Child Pornography, Indiana 2021 · Alabama
- Lucas Kern, Possession of Child Pornography, Indiana 2026 · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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