Child exploitation charges filed against Minnesota man highlight need to talk to kids about online safety
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. — A Minnesota man's federal indictment for child exploitation is leading to a call for action from federal investigators.
The charges against Samuel Snell of Inver Grove Heights are disturbing and they highlight the risks for children on the social platform, Discord.
A witness sent WCCO pictures of the raid, saying they saw the SWAT team descending on the home, and seizing computers.
The Department of Justice says Snell was messaging with minors in channels, or chat rooms, with names like "Fun Time Kitty Klub" and "Pretty Kitty Hangout."
The DOJ says Snell solicited sexual images from those children, sometimes with the intent to groom them.
Authorities say he took minors to a hotel and paid them for sex at least twice.
The DOJ sent a report to Congress last year that called child exploitation a public health crisis, saying there are more victims and more offenders than ever before.
Of course, there are many online platforms, but the one Snell was on, Discord, may not be as well known to parents.
It allows for both text messaging and voice messaging. Discord is mostly known for attracting video gamers, but it describes itself as a place to build community around shared interests.
WCCO reached out to Discord on Sunday and has yet to hear back, but its website has a large safety section. Parents can change settings to block sensitive content and spam and control who can message their child.
The Family Online Safety Institute advises talking to your kids early about being safe online.
That includes asking for help and teaching them to be respectful by treating others right.
Parental controls are a useful tool also, ensuring what websites and apps can or cannot be accessed.
WCCO talked to a local expert on online safety who said having conversations with your child about all this is the best thing — and they don't have to be so formal.
"Reminding them that we are there and, yes, we have expectations and boundaries and maybe agreed upon consequences, but first and foremost, I'm an adult, you can come to when something gets hard online," Erin Walsh, Spark and Stitch Institute co-founder, said.
Federal investigators believe there may still be other victims. If your child has had contact with Snell, who went by the names "Storm Blackwood" and "Candy Man Sam MN" online, you're asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or online.
If you know of a child who may have been a victim of exploitation, call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit the website.