Joshua David Threlkeld (Photo: Courtesy Riverside County Sheriff's Dept.)
RIVERSIDE -- An Orange County man is being charged with 127 additional counts in a scam that targeted teenage girls on MySpace.
Authorities believe there may be dozens of victims thoughout California, Canada and the United Kingdom.
32 year old Joshua David Threlkeld could face multiple life sentences if convicted on all charged that he lured at least 80 victims, ranging in age from 11 to 17, to send him nude pictures, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's office. He is also charged with sexual assault involving four girls he met in person after contacting them on-line.
40 of those potential victims were discovered in Riverside County, including Corona, Beaumont, Moreno Valley, Hemet and Palm Springs. 40 more were discovered in Los Angeles, san Bernardino and Orange counties and in 15 states. Possible victims are also believed to be in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Threlkeld was arrested in May following an investigation that began with a report from two teenage girls who said they were contacted by a man who posed as a 14 year old girl using the name Sarah Miller on MySpace, according to sheriff's Sgt. David Gutierrez
The girls were asked if they wanted to pose for photos with a man named "Josh" who ran a modeling agency called "Model-508 Studio," according to sheriff's officials. The two girls were picked up in Moreno Valley and driven to Orange County where the man photographed them. One of the girls was asked to pose during a second photo shoot in Palm Springs. Officials say that's when the man had sex with the girl.
"When she became despondent because she wouldn't be paid for modeling, Threlkeld offered her money for sex," according to sheriff's Detective Matthew Weinstein.
"Desperate to get money because her mother was on welfare and ... behind on rent," the girl agreed and got into a shower with the defendant, where she gave him oral sex and allowed him to do the same, as well as another sex act, the detective alleged.
The girl was allegedly paid $120 and taken home, Weinstein said.
Authorities were alerted after a friend of one of the girls learned about the alleged incidents and told her own mother, who contacted that girl's mother, according to court documents.
Investigators were able to track down a man who fit the description of "Josh" using MySpace. His neck tattoos made him easy to track down, according to Guitierrez.
Police searched Threlkeld's Orange County home and seized computers, cell phones, and cameras.
Investigators with the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Team checked the suspect's MySpace site, `Model-508 Studios," and determined it was an on-line solicitation site for nude modeling work, and was apparently geared toward girls between 13 and 17 years of age, authorities said.
According to Weinstein, Threlkeld was successful in getting many girls to send him graphic, revealing poses of themselves.
Weinstein's says that Threlkeld, in an interview with detectives, admitted to being "sick" and taking nude photos of girls and sending those photos to them in order to entice them into taking more sexually explicit photos for him.
Threlkeld said he need help for his "addiction," Weinstein wrote.
"He claimed the original two victims were `jealous' and he did not know what they would say about him," Weinstein wrote.
Threlkeld is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges Monday at the Riverside Hall of Justice. He is charged with kidnapping to commit rape; aggravated sexual assault of a minor by force; penetration by force, violence, duress, menace or fear; communicating with a minor with the intent to commit a specified offense; and arranging a meeting with a minor.
Threlkeld is being held at the Blythe Jail. Bail is set at $1 million.
Prosecutors said they are still searching for additional victims, who can contact the SAFE Team at 1-866-723-3595.
Authorities believe there may be dozens of victims thoughout California, Canada and the United Kingdom.
32 year old Joshua David Threlkeld could face multiple life sentences if convicted on all charged that he lured at least 80 victims, ranging in age from 11 to 17, to send him nude pictures, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's office. He is also charged with sexual assault involving four girls he met in person after contacting them on-line.
40 of those potential victims were discovered in Riverside County, including Corona, Beaumont, Moreno Valley, Hemet and Palm Springs. 40 more were discovered in Los Angeles, san Bernardino and Orange counties and in 15 states. Possible victims are also believed to be in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Threlkeld was arrested in May following an investigation that began with a report from two teenage girls who said they were contacted by a man who posed as a 14 year old girl using the name Sarah Miller on MySpace, according to sheriff's Sgt. David Gutierrez
The girls were asked if they wanted to pose for photos with a man named "Josh" who ran a modeling agency called "Model-508 Studio," according to sheriff's officials. The two girls were picked up in Moreno Valley and driven to Orange County where the man photographed them. One of the girls was asked to pose during a second photo shoot in Palm Springs. Officials say that's when the man had sex with the girl.
"When she became despondent because she wouldn't be paid for modeling, Threlkeld offered her money for sex," according to sheriff's Detective Matthew Weinstein.
"Desperate to get money because her mother was on welfare and ... behind on rent," the girl agreed and got into a shower with the defendant, where she gave him oral sex and allowed him to do the same, as well as another sex act, the detective alleged.
The girl was allegedly paid $120 and taken home, Weinstein said.
Authorities were alerted after a friend of one of the girls learned about the alleged incidents and told her own mother, who contacted that girl's mother, according to court documents.
Investigators were able to track down a man who fit the description of "Josh" using MySpace. His neck tattoos made him easy to track down, according to Guitierrez.
Police searched Threlkeld's Orange County home and seized computers, cell phones, and cameras.
Investigators with the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Team checked the suspect's MySpace site, `Model-508 Studios," and determined it was an on-line solicitation site for nude modeling work, and was apparently geared toward girls between 13 and 17 years of age, authorities said.
According to Weinstein, Threlkeld was successful in getting many girls to send him graphic, revealing poses of themselves.
Weinstein's says that Threlkeld, in an interview with detectives, admitted to being "sick" and taking nude photos of girls and sending those photos to them in order to entice them into taking more sexually explicit photos for him.
Threlkeld said he need help for his "addiction," Weinstein wrote.
"He claimed the original two victims were `jealous' and he did not know what they would say about him," Weinstein wrote.
Threlkeld is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges Monday at the Riverside Hall of Justice. He is charged with kidnapping to commit rape; aggravated sexual assault of a minor by force; penetration by force, violence, duress, menace or fear; communicating with a minor with the intent to commit a specified offense; and arranging a meeting with a minor.
Threlkeld is being held at the Blythe Jail. Bail is set at $1 million.
Prosecutors said they are still searching for additional victims, who can contact the SAFE Team at 1-866-723-3595.
