Southgate man convicted of sexually exploiting 15-year-old
(CBS DETROIT) - A Southgate man was convicted Tuesday of multiple counts of sexually exploiting a 15-year-old.
Nopphadon Ninsawat, 32, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a minor and receipt of child pornography.
According to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, Ninsawat met a 15-year-old victim on Snapchat. After the victim's mother discovered the conversations, she called Ninsawat and told him her child was 15.
Although Ninsawat told the victim's mother that he would no longer communicate with the child, he soon began asking the victim to send sexually explicit photos through Instagram's vanish mode, officials say. The mother found the communications and alerted Gibraltar police.
"This defendant persuaded a vulnerable child to create and send him sexually explicit images. I applaud the bravery of the victim for testifying about the defendant's conduct in this case. The jury's verdict will help us secure the significant sentence warranted by defendant's conduct," Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney, said in a statement.
"This predator will spend a significant amount of time behind bars thanks to the efforts of this survivor and their family," added HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. "This case not only highlights the danger that predators pose online, but also the efforts that we must take as parents and community members to have open conservations with our children about coming forward to report predatory behavior online."
Ninsawat will be sentenced on March 13, 2024. He faces a mandatory 15 years in prison.