19-year-old man from Chelan County arrested for sexually exploiting a minor in Colorado

Deputies with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man for allegedly having sexually explicit conversations with a 14-year-old girl in Colorado.

The girl’s mother discovered a text thread on her daughter’s phone between her and a man from Chelan County that contained numerous sexually explicit conversations and inappropriate photos. The mother contacted Colorado Springs Police, who then contacted the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office. One of the messages between the two revealed that the man said he intended to travel to Colorado to meet her.

These conversations began in November 2024.

How the suspect would coerce minors into sexually explicit conversations

“Phone and social media records revealed an extensive pattern showing Vargas-Lopez posing as a younger teenage boy while soliciting sexually explicit photos and videos from juvenile females he met on Instagram and Snapchat,” the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office stated.

Detectives identified John Vargas-Lopez, 19, as the suspect after weeks of investigation. He was arrested on April 8 near his home in Peshastin. He was booked into the Chelan County Regional Justice Center on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, communication with a minor for immoral purposes, and possession of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

“This case is a stark reminder of the realities of social media. The fact is, predators are actively using social media to prey on children and sexually exploit them,” Chelan County Detective Sergeant Lewis stated. “CCSO Detectives are committed to identifying and arresting those in our community who seek to harm or exploit children. Meanwhile, it is imperative that parents talk to their children about how to safely use social media, establish age-appropriate boundaries for cell phone and social media use, and maintain supervision of their communications.”

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