Texas cyberstalker may have more 'sextortion' victims in Colorado
Federal authorities who have already prosecuted a 21-year-old Texas man for his online harassment of underage girls are concerned there are other victims who have not come forward.
Hugo Hugo Iram Cardona Jr. of Odessa, Texas, has at least 15 victims in El Paso, Colorado and Arizona, as determined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Both agencies started separate investigations n Cardona, then combined them in May of 2023.
Cardona allegedly hacked into the victims' Snapchat accounts and stole intimate photographs and videos. Cardona then contacted the victims by Snapchat, Instagram, or TextNow and threatened to publish the photos and videos unless the victims issued a public apology or engaged with him in sexually explicit video chats.
"I have your nudes," Cardona alleged messaged one of his El Paso victims, per a case document.
"i hacked you" and "got more nudes off ur dumb*ss," he allegedly wrote to another. "is this what you want deleted?"
"what will you give me to stop and leave you alone"
Investigators say Cardona's harassment began in August 2020 and continued for almost three years.
One victim, identified in the case document as "M.M.," received a text from Cardona stating he "got everything" from her camera, which included pictures and videos from when M.M. was a minor. The text message included a photo of Cardona's camera with her camera's images on it.
Furthermore, Cardona allegedly involved that victim's boyfriend, per the case document. The boyfriend received a text: "tell (M.M.) to answer me. if not im gonna show her parents everything and get both of you in so much trouble and ruin her modeling career. only you can save her."
Cardona also threatened another victim's mother with her daughter's public exposure.
Cardona used Instagram accounts "idkprii85," "designoiram," "juniorrriram," "urfavpapi," "urdvddyjunie" and "juniorrhernandez" as well as Snapchat accounts "juniepri," "asap_juniorrr" and "juniorrriram."
When federal agents searched his electronic devices in June 2023, they found "multiple conversations indicating sextortion" and evidence some of the victims had met his demands for explicit recordings.
When interviewed, Carbon admitted to investigators, according to the case document, that he harassed numerous females between the ages of 16 and 21. He blamed his actions on his angry response to being friendless and not popular, per the case document.
Last week, Cardona pleaded guilty to three counts of cyberstalking in U.S. District Court of Western Texas. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
Nevertheless, investigators believe there are other victims and are asking them to respond.
"If you have had or know anyone who has had contact with Cardona Jr. or any of the above-listed usernames while using Snapchat, Instagram or TextNow between 2020 and 2023, please complete this victim questionnaire," as stated in a press release. "Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and other rights under federal and/or state law."
Victims can contact FBI's El Paso office directly at CardonaVictims@fbi.gov or by calling 1-915-832-5000.
Cardona faces 10 years in prison for each cyberstalking count.
