Houston man charged with sexual exploitation of 2 young California girls after posing as a 12-year-old boy

KINGSBURG, California — A Houston man has been charged with child sexual exploitation after an incident involving two California girls.

A federal grand jury has returned four indictments against 49-year-old Thomas Lopez.

According to investigators, Lopez contacted two girls from Kingsburg, California via TikTok between June and July of this year, before moving the communication to the encrypted app “Just Talk.”

According to officials, he posed as a 12-year-old boy and asked the 9- and 11-year-old boys to send explicit videos of themselves, which they did.

He is also said to have sent explicit videos of himself and others.

On September 3, FBI agents from Fresno and a detective from Kingsburg flew to Houston and executed a search warrant at Lopez’s home.

He was found at the airport and arrested.

Electronic devices were also stolen from his home.

If Lopez is found guilty, he faces a minimum of 20 years in prison.