North Port man charged with enticing child over the internet to commit lewd sex acts
NORTH PORT – A North Port man faces seven felony charges regarding crimes against children after he portrayed himself as a young female on gaming platforms to entice victims.
Shane Patrick Penczak, 45, of the 2300 block of Jasmine Way, was arrested by North Port Police. He faces charges of lewd and lascivious battery, allowing a child to engage in sexual activity, directly promoting a child to engage in sexual performance, viewing a child in the performance of sexual performance, and using a computer to lure and seduce a child.
Penczak is currently being held in the Sarasota County Jail on no bond.
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According to a North Port Police Department release, the victim lives out of state.
Between June 1, 2018, and Feb. 28, Penczak portrayed himself as a young female on gaming platforms, enticing his victim to perform sexual acts and then blackmailing him into performing more egregious acts, according to the report.
“We take all crimes seriously in the city of North Port but especially those involving children,” North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said in a prepared statement. “Those who commit these types of crimes prey on those who cannot fully protect themselves.
“We will work night and day to protect our kids and hold those accountable who are looking to hurt them.”
The incident was first reported on Feb. 21 to the Winslow Police Department in Camden County, New Jersey. North Port Police were informed about the case on March 5 by Homeland Security.
North Port Police detective Lee Wallace learned that Penczak had communicated through Discord, a free digital instant messaging system that can also be used for video calls and media.
The victim communicated with Penczak, while believing he was a female teen who lived in California and used the name xboxdiamondgirl.
At first, Penczak sent the youth an electronic gift card in exchange for nude photos.
Later, Penczak threatened to post those photos online, if the youth “refused to do what ‘she’ directed him to do,” Wallace wrote.
Penczak then directed the teen to commit a variety of vulgar acts – which he would view through the messaging service – under the threat of posting the nude photo online.
Penczak went by the names xboxdiamondgirl2683 on Discord, and xboxdiamondgirl on both Twitch and Roblox.
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The Camden County Prosecutor received both an IP address for the computer used by xboxdiamondgirl2683 on Discord, as well as an email address associated with that account.
Further investigation showed that the IP address was serviced by Frontier Communications and linked to a home where Penczak lives with his mother and her boyfriend.
Both told North Port detectives that they were computer illiterate and Penczak spends a large amount of time on the computer, playing video games.
Further inspection of the messaging thread affiliated with xboxdiamondgirl2683 revealed six other images of child sexual abuse with other potential victims.
North Port police are working with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations nationally and out of Tampa as there are likely other victims of Mr. Penczak out there.
“This arrest, led by North Port Police with support from HSI in Sarasota and Cherry Hill, New Jersey and the Camden County New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office, has made our local communities safer for everyone,” HSI Tampa Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Silliman said in a prepared statement. “HSI will continue to investigate this case, working to identify victims of this child predator and ensure they get the needed support.”
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: North Port man charged with enticing child online to commit sex acts
