Queensland, Australia – Australian police are asking Justin Bieber fans to be extra vigilant on the internet after they arrested a man who was posing as the famous singer online.
Queensland Police News reports detectives had been investigating a man who allegedly posed as Bieber online so he could obtain explicit images from children.
The 42-year-old man was arrested by Argos officers on numerous child sex offense charges, including “possessing child exploitation material and using a carriage service to groom persons under 16.”
After a thorough investigation, including examining the suspect’s computer, this week the suspect received additional 931 child sex offense charges.
Police said the man used Facebook and Skype to communicate with his victims. His offenses are believed to date back to at least 2007.
“This investigation demonstrates both the vulnerability of children that are utilising [sic] social media and communication applications and the global reach and skill that child sex offenders have to groom and seduce victims,” Argos Detective Inspector Jon Rouse said. “The fact that so many children could believe that they were communicating with this particular celebrity highlights the need for a serious rethink about the way that we as a society educate our children about online safety.”
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.