A joint investigation involving police in Blairsville, Indiana County Detectives and the FBI led to the arrest of a man from Texas on federal charges of attempted coercion or enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to a minor.
Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi announced that the charges were filed against Marcoctavio Romero of San Antonio. The family of the victim reported to Blairsville Police that an unknown man was messaging the child through Instagram and the online game Roblox, with those messages containing sexually suggestive words and images. The suspect sent obscene photos of himself and then asked the victim to send similar pictures back. Local police and the county detectives were able to secure a warrant for the apps along with Google and a Bank Account and found a Missouri identification for the suspect. That ID was a positive match for the suspect in Texas.
Investigators then collaborated with the FBI field office in San Antonio, who conducted a search of Romero’s home. He was taken into custody at that point.
In a statement, Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi said that anyone who attempts to victimize children does deserve punishment and was thankful to the family for coming forward with the case.
Manzi said that the case is being prosecuted at the federal level in Texas.
