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Ocala teen arrested, used Roblox to communicate with and sexually exploit children

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Published  April 30, 2025 3:37pm EDT
Marion County
FOX 35 Orlando
Marion Co. teen used Roblox to force kids into sex acts

Marion Co. teen used Roblox to force kids into sex acts

A Marion County teen was arrested after allegedly using the game Roblox to communicate with children, directing them to molest their younger siblings and produce child sexual abuse material. FOX 35's Matt Trezza spoke with Detective Henrik Osthed of the Marion County Sheriff's Office and Attorney General James Uthmeier who has filed a subpoena against the company.

The Brief

    • A Marion County teen was arrested after allegedly using the game Roblox to communicate with children.
    • The 17-year-old would direct the children to molest their younger siblings and produce child sexual abuse material.
    • The investigation to identify the victims is ongoing.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A Marion County teen was arrested after allegedly using the game Roblox to communicate with children, directing them to molest their younger siblings and produce child sexual abuse material. 

Teen admitted to detectives during an interview

What we know:

Through a major crimes investigation, detectives learned that a 17-year-old boy was responsible for the vulgar messages. On April 16, 2025, the Ocala Police Department SWAT Team executed a search warrant and several of the teen's devices were collected for examination. During an interview with detectives, the teen took ownership of the Roblox account, admitted to searching for children on the video game daily, instructing them to engage in sexual activity with their siblings and produce child sexual abuse material.

The teen also admitted to lying about his age to appear more "acceptable" to young children and admitted that he would contact four to five children every day for the past year, according to the report. 

Roblox on App Store is seen in this illustration photo taken in Poland on June 29, 2024. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Teen faces multiple charges

The teen was arrested on April 16, 2025 on the following charges:

  • Directing a Sexual Performance by a Child
  • Utilizing a Computer to Solicit a Child while Misrepresenting Age
  • Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device

Once in custody, he was taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice and has now been filed into the Marion County Jail where he is being held without bond. 

Detectives working to identify victims

What we don't know:

The investigation to identify the victims is ongoing. 

What they're saying:

Given the alarming nature of the crimes and the evidence obtained, investigators believe there could be more victims. 

"When these people communicate with our children, and they say these things, and they direct them to do this and that, or to, you know, take pictures of themselves or to engage in non-consensual sexual activity with siblings — like was done here — all of this can be harmful to our children," said Det. Henrik Osthed, of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

"In my work dealing with predators on the internet… a lot of them have an incredible amount of time, and they develop a horrible skill set of predation, and they actively work on these things, a lot," Det. Osthed added.

Det. Henrik Osthed called this an "internet problem."

"When we put a phone in our children's hands, or we put a tablet in their hands, or we put a computer at their fingertips, not only are we giving them access to the world, but we're giving the world access to them," he said. "So that's what we talked about was the fact that not only was this a regular effort, but he was doing it every day for a significant amount of time."

FOX 35 News reached out to Roblox for comment and received the following statement:

"Roblox is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of our community, and helping protect children is a top priority. In February, we reported this case to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and permanently banned the account. Our policies prohibit such behavior, and we invest significant resources in advanced technology, including robust filters and human moderation teams, to detect and address inappropriate content and behavior, and we do not allow image sharing on our platform. We continue to evolve our safety practices to promote a secure and positive experience for everyone on Roblox."

What you can do:

Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact Detective Osthed at (352) 351-4710.

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The Source: The information in this article comes from a report shared by the Marion County Sheriff's Office in partnership with the Ocala Police Department.

Marion CountyOcalaCrime and Public Safety