A Florida man has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison for enticing three children from Scottsdale through social media.
Jacob Lozano, a 24-year-old man, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison after he admitted to two charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and three charges of attempting to commit aggravated luring of a minor. These crimes are considered serious felonies.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell praised the parent in the case, stating that Jacob Lozano had exploited an online playground for his own satisfaction. Mitchell commended the parent for closely monitoring her son’s online gaming activities and promptly reporting the inappropriate content to law enforcement. She emphasized the importance of such vigilance in ensuring the safety and well-being of children everywhere.
In November 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children initiated an investigation following a tip from a concerned woman. She had discovered sexually explicit messages on her 11-year-old son’s phone. The Scottsdale police promptly intervened and established that the messages originated from a man in Florida whom the boy had encountered while playing Fortnite online.
Lozano faced an arrest warrant, prompting authorities to search his Florida residence. In January, he was extradited to Maricopa County, where he eventually pleaded guilty in December as part of a prearranged agreement.