Suspect Arrested And Sentenced For Blackmail And Illegal Sex Acts

SALT LAKE CITY  — An adult pretending to be a teen girl was arrested on suspicion of using pornographic images sent by a teen child to blackmail him into having sexual encounters. Arturo Aparichio-Hernandez was investigated and arrested by West Valley Police Department that listed 13 potential felonies on court documents,  including multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, enticing a minor by internet or text and aggravated sexual extortion of a child. Probable cause documents request Aparicio-Hernandez not be released on bail because of a “substantial danger” to the community and because of immigration violations. Police investigated Aparichio-Hernandez after a teen victim reported he had been befriended online by who he thought was a teen girl that was approximately his age. They exchanges pictures, including compromising images of the victim. The victim was then told if he didn’t meet for sexual encounters, those images would be sent to his mother. The victim told police he met twice and engaged in sex acts that were shot on video. The victim also told police Aparicio-Hernandez showed him images of “very young females” and told him the girls had also had sexual encounters with him. On another encounter the victim said he was picked up in a car for sex acts.

Investigators said they used the victim’s social media account to communicate with Aparicio-Hernandez to examine images exchanged and to arrange another encounter. Using the account, a meeting was set for April 29 and then officers took Arturo Aparicio-Hernandez, also known as Daniela Aparicio-Hernandez, into custody. Police said Arturo Aparicio-Hernandezes waived Miranda rights and confirmed the victim’s report of sexual acts and said they were recorded on a cell phone. The suspect also told to police that they had been attracted to minors since they were young and said the point of the meeting was to have sexual relations with the victim and admitted to making threats about sharing images to the victim’s friends and family. The affidavit of probable cause also petitioned for a warrant of the suspect’s phone. Police arrested Aparichio-Hernandez and said there was probable cause to charge the following crimes:

• Four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor
• Aggravated sexual extortion of a child
• Four counts of forcible sodomy
• Four counts of enticing a minor by internet or text

The man has been given a 30-year prison sentence after pretending to be a minor female and convincing a 14-year-old to send sexually explicit photos and videos, which he then used to extort the victim for more explicit material, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Utah.

Arturo Aparicio-Hernandez, 40, also known as Raiza Daniela Yasira Aparicio Hernandez, of Taylorsville, Utah, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for his crimes against children.

Hernandez engaged in sexual conduct with a minor that he met on Facebook while pretending to be a minor female. The activity began on April 29, 2022, when Hernandez used his iPhone and iPad to communicate with a 14-year-old on Facebook, according to court documents and admissions.

Over months of communication, Hernandez reportedly convinced the teen to send him explicit photos and videos, which he later used to force the victim to send more explicit images and videos. Additionally, on two occasions, he arranged to meet the 14-year-old and engaged in illegal sexual activity, producing images of the illegal sexual encounters and storing them on his devices.

Hernandez reportedly also had sexually explicit photographs of other minors on his devices.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah said Hernandez’s sentence is a “stern reminder” that they will track down and prosecute child predators. West Valley City Police Chief Colleen Jacobs also said the sentence sends a “clear message” to anyone who uses social media to prey on children.

“This predator’s actions were deliberate, manipulative, and devastating,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI will continue to stand with our law enforcement partners to protect children, safeguard our communities, and ensure predators face the strongest consequences possible.”

The case was investigated jointly by the West Valley City Police Department and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.