FBI Seeks Victims in Minnesota Online Catfish Investigation
Minneapolis, MN (MinnesotaNow) - A Minnesota man is facing federal charges connected to a so-called “catfish” scheme.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota says 34-year-old Damien William Quinn of Forest Lake, who is also known as Ryan William Shattuck, is facing four counts of production of child pornography, two counts of attempted production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and five counts of cyberstalking. He has been ordered to remain in custody pending trial.
Former High School Classmates Targeted
According to the indictment, Quinn is accused of using Snapchat and Instagram accounts to coerce both juveniles and adults into sending sexually explicit images and videos. The charges allege he used the social media accounts to cyberstalk former high school classmates by claiming he possessed nude photos of them.
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Federal prosecutors allege Quinn shared nude photos of one victim and modified at least one image to make it appear the victim was nude. Investigators say the case has, so far, identified 11 victims. Six of them are children, and five are adults.
Investigation Ongoing, More Victims Sought
Investigators are working to identify additional potential victims. Prosecutors are asking anyone who attended North Branch High School and experienced suspicious online behavior from a known or unknown account to contact law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-225-5324. The tip line can also be used by anyone whose child has been contacted online by someone seeking sexually explicit material.
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Gallery Credit: Samm Adams