Fortnite Predator: Naugatuck Man Accused of Exploiting Child

NAUGAUCK, CT – Sean Sayer, 22, of Naugatuck, is facing a litany of federal charges after allegedly grooming and exploiting a child through online gaming and social media. The FBI arrested Sayer on June 18, 2025, following an investigation that began with a disturbing exchange initiated by an eight-year-old boy in Oregon.

According to court documents, the minor victim contacted Sayer on March 20, 2025, via text message, inquiring if he was the user @fornight_legends on TikTok. Sayer confirmed, and what followed was a three-day barrage of over 1,300 messages where Sayer aggressively demanded sexually explicit images and videos from the child in exchange for playing the popular online game Fortnite. The victim ultimately sent at least 15 videos now classified as child sexual abuse material and child pornography.

The depravity didn’t stop there. A preliminary forensic examination of Sayer’s cellphone allegedly revealed screenshots of conversations with *dozens* of other minor victims, suggesting a pattern of coercion and enticement. Investigators believe Sayer used similar tactics to convince these children to send him sexually explicit photos of themselves. The full scope of the alleged abuse is still under investigation.

Sayer appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven for a bond hearing and was released on a $150,000 bond, but under strict conditions. He’s confined to home detention with location monitoring and is completely barred from accessing the internet or any contact with minors. The charges against him are severe: production of child pornography (15-30 years mandatory minimum), coercion and enticement of a minor (10 years to life mandatory minimum), receipt of child pornography (5-20 years mandatory minimum), possession of child pornography (up to 20 years), and transfer of obscene material to a minor (up to 10 years).

U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan was quick to emphasize that the federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and Sayer is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale and is a part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, a nationwide effort to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, comprising federal, state, and local agencies, is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Eugene (Ore.) Police Department.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this case. Anyone with information regarding child exploitation is urged to report it to the CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com. The details of this case serve as a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking online and the predators who prey on vulnerable children. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.