SHARE

Teen Camp Counselor From Westchester Charged With Sexually Exploiting Minor

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- A Port Chester teen who is a camp counselor in Connecticut has been arrested and charged with communicating with an underage victim online and convincing her to take and send sexually explicit photographs and videos online, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, and the New York Field Division of the FBI.

A Westchester County man was charged Tuesday in federal court in White Plains with sexual exploitation of a minor.

A Westchester County man was charged Tuesday in federal court in White Plains with sexual exploitation of a minor.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

The suspect, identified as Michael Bryant Marin, 18, was arrested Tuesday morning and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith in White Plains federal court.

“Michael Marin’s alleged crimes are the nightmare of every parent,” said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. “Using an easily accessible instant messaging application, Marin allegedly terrorized a middle-school student in her home and her school with threats to humiliate her if she refused his demands for sexually explicit photographs and videos.”

According to the complaint unsealed Tuesday, in or about March, Marin communicated online via Kik and through text messages with a 13-year-old minor female in New Mexico, and convinced her to take and send sexually explicit photographs and videos of herself to Marin.

During his communications with the victim, Marin utilized the screen name “mike___2016,” as well as another account, prosecutors report.

While communicating with the victim, Marin posed as a minor and told her that if she did not send additional photos and/or videos, he would publicly post the photos and/or videos she had already sent to him on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, according to officials.

Marin also demanded that the victim act as his “slave,” first attempting to pay her and then threatening to post nude photos and videos of her if she did not send him the specific photos and/or videos Marin requested whenever he requested them; as part of this demand, Marin instructed the victim to photograph and film herself engaging in a number of sexually explicit acts, prosecutors report.

According to statements made during Marin’s presentment Tuesday afternoon, he is currently employed as a camp counselor in Greenwich, Conn.

Marin has been charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, which carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, prosecutors report.

Officials report there may be more victims of Marin’s alleged conduct.

“Most teenagers are excited about summer and vacation, but as alleged, the victim in this case, and others we may not know about yet, are overcoming an atrocious ordeal no young child should ever have to experience,” said Diego Rodriguez, the assistant director-in-charge of the New York Field Division of the FBI. “Parents need to talk with their children about being safe online, and making sure they know the minute anyone approaches them in a deviant way, they should immediately contact a trusted adult. We are also asking anyone who may have been contacted by the subject in this case to contact the FBI."

Bharara praised the efforts of the FBI, the Santa Fe County (New Mexico) Sherriff’s Office and the Santa Fe City Police Department in connection with the case.

The investigation is ongoing, he added.

The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s White Plains Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey is in charge of the prosecution.

Anyone with additional information to report can contact the FBI’s White Plains Resident Agency at 914-989-6000.

to follow Daily Voice Somers and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE