PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The FBI arrested a Troutdale teen accused of sexually exploiting about 100 children through Instagram.
Anthony Lozowski was arrested Friday, one day after the FBI began its investigation after getting a tip. Federal agents searched his home and arrested the 19-year-old.
The next day he was charged with child sex exploitation and receiving child pornography. Lozowski admitted to using Instagram to exploit the children by getting them to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, according to court documents obtained by KOIN 6 News.
Probable cause documents also allege the teen amitted to extorting some of his victims into sending new explicit content by threatening to send their pictures and videos to people they knew.
Authorities said Lozowski’s victims told him they were minors: one girl told him she was 11 and another told him she was 12.
At least two victims told Lozowski they were going to commit suicide if he continued extorting them but he didn’t seem to care, according to court documents. Lozowski allegedly only admitted to extorting three victims.
One 12-year-old victim, the FBI said, said Lozowski blackmailed her to trade sex with him in exchange for his not sharing pictures of her.
Lozowski told authorities he sexually exploited around 100 “girls” and had a smaller number whom he threatened or extorted, according to court documents.
Two other minors have been identified as potential victims and the FBI is investigating to see if there are more.
Lozowski is being held without bail pending further federal court proceedings. Court documents show he’s being held as a flight risk. His next court appearance is set for Nov. 5 in Portland.