A 30-year-old man from Crystal River, Florida has been charged with the production and receipt of child pornography, cyberstalking, and enticement of a minor. Andrew Lynch, a.k.a Gregory O'Neil, was indicted by a federal grand jury for the charges. Lynch allegedly used social media platforms to engage in the crimes against minors that he has been charged with.
Using Social Media To Target A Minor
According to previously filed complaint and indictment records, Lynch used Facebook to carry on sexually motivated conversations with the victim—who is addressed a 'Victim 1'—who was below the age of 18. Using the social media platform, he acquired sexually explicit images from Victim 1.
Following this, sextortion of the victim ensued. He used the images and conversations as leverage against her. He forced Victim 1 to send more graphically sexual content such as explicit images, videos, and engagement in sexual video chats.
Issuing Threats To Coerce Victim
According to court documents, Lynch began corresponding with Victim 1 in late April 2018 on Facebook. At the time, the victim was only 13 years old. While Victim 1 refused to send nude photos to Lynch initially, she gave in due to threats from Lynch.
The 13-year-old ultimately sent both videos and pictures after Lynch issued threats of sending messages to her friends and family. Using threats, he continued to coerce the victim into sharing more videos and pictures for approximately three weeks.
Penalties That The Charges Carry
Due to the nature of the charges filed against him, Lynch faces severe penalties. The indictment carries with it a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. In addition to prison time, he also faces a fine of $250,000. Lynch is currently detained in Florida. He will be sent to the Western District of New York for arraignment at a later date.
