Actor in costume at Six Flags, Sesame Place arrested for child pornography, police say – NBC10 Philadelphia

A 19-year-old New Jersey man who worked as a costume character at Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey and other locations has been arrested and accused of sending sexually explicit messages and photos to a prepubescent girl, police said.

According to a Sept. 17, 2024, statement from the office of Mercer County Acting District Attorney Theresa Hilton, Don-Diego Parkman, 19, of Hamilton, has been arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault, production and possession of child sexual abuse material, endangering the welfare of a child and other charges. The investigation began earlier this month.

In the statement, Hilton’s office alleges that they were contacted by law enforcement officials in Missouri after a prepubescent girl there allegedly chatted with Parkman and exchanged child sexual abuse material.

“An investigation was initiated and detectives discovered that in addition to exchanging sexually explicit messages and photographs with the prepubescent girl, Parkman also directed her to take photographs and videos of herself engaging in sexual conduct so she could send them to him,” a statement from Hilton’s office said.

Last week, Parkman’s Mercer County home was raided. Authorities said Parkman was arrested and “detectives seized multiple evidentiary items.”

Officials said during the investigation, law enforcement learned that Parkman has been hired as a costume character and mascot by several companies, including Six Flags Great Adventure, Somerset Baseball Partners, Devils Arena Entertainment and most recently, Sesame Place in Bucks County.

NBC10 is trying to get comment from the locations where Parkman worked.

Hilton’s office has filed a motion to hold Parkman in custody while he awaits trial.

The attractions where Parkman previously worked, according to police, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This story will be updated with any comments they provide.

Hilton asks anyone with information about suspected inappropriate contact by unknown persons communicating with children over the Internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children to contact the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit at (609) 989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at (888) 648-6007.