Ian Pisarchuk Charged With Child Porn, Extortion After Allegedly Bullying Girls Online To Send Him Nude Photos
BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) -- A reminder for parents to talk to their teens about the dangers of social media and people who may be preying on them. This comes after Bensalem police say a man abused social media and bullied girls into sending him nude photos.
Officials say Ian Pisarchuk lured his victims online by gaining their trust. He's been doing it for five years, and at least seven victims are known and more are likely out there.
Pisarchuk, 25, sits in a Bucks County jail charged with multiple counts of child porn and extortion.
Officials say that over multiple years, he'd made contact online with at least four known victims by claiming to be a mutual friend.
"These individuals, and I use that term lightly, will search and find those friends of friends and then pretend they already know you, tricking people into friending them," Bensalem Public Safety Director Fred Harran said.
Once connected, Pisarchuk coerced his female victims to send him photos and videos.
"Pisarchuk obtained nude photos and sexual videos from the victims by means of extortion. He threatened to harm them and their families if they did not comply with his demands," Harran said.
Police say they were able to track down Pisarchuk from an investigation that started this past October, when another juvenile came forward saying she was being threatened on Snapchat. And thanks to new technology, officials were able to crack open the cold case of Lindsay Picone.
"It was determined that Lindsay Picone was harassed, threatened and extorted by an unknown person on Snapchat," Harran said.
The 21-year-old woman went missing in September 2016. Her body was discovered two months later in Tyler State Park.
"Police have now learned Pisarchuk attended Kutztown University from 2014 to 2018, at the same time Lindsay Picone was being harassed," Harran said.
Bucks County officials say more charges are being considered, and warn more victims are likely out there.
"This case probably expands far outside of Bucks County," Harran said.
To that extent, detectives say there could be dozens of more victims out there and they are warning parents to monitor what their children are doing online.
Pisarchuk used the following screen names: "LivingFaithful," "JustNeedALilFaith," and "LiveItUp109."
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CBS3's Alicia Roberts reports.