Texas man arrested for exploiting minors in Kingsburg via encrypted app

KINGSBURG, California (FOX26) — Earlier this month, a man was arrested after police received a report that two Kingsburg children were possibly being exploited by someone using a social media app.

Kingsburg police received the report on July 1 and detectives launched an investigation into the unknown man who was communicating with two underage girls, ages 9 and 11, through an online app.

They said the suspect used an encrypted app called JusTalk to communicate with the minors.

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Detectives worked with the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to identify the suspect and the app.

ICAC connected the Kingsburg detectives with an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Fresno office.

Multiple search warrants were issued and served on the suspect who resides in Houston, Texas.

FBI agents and detectives from Kingsburg flew to Texas and executed a search warrant for 49-year-old Thomas Henry Lopez at his home. Multiple electronic devices were found.

Lopez was not home but was found at Houston airport about to fly to Singapore.

He was arrested at the airport on federal charges of producing, distributing and receiving child pornography.

According to detectives, Lopez told the girls he was 12 years old and asked them to perform sexually explicit acts and send recordings of themselves, which they did.

Lopez also sent photos of herself and others masturbating and performing sexually explicit acts.

The parents of both children have been questioned and informed of the crime and the arrest.

Lopez was indicted on four federal charges: two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distributing a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of transmitting obscene material.

The Kingsburg Police Department reminds parents to be involved in their children’s online activities and to report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement.

If you have any information regarding this or similar matters, please contact the Kingsburg Police Department or your local law enforcement agency.