18-year-old man allegedly sexually exploited girls via text messages and social media

AURORA | An 18-year-old man is facing multiple counts of sexual extortion and exploitation after the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office accused him of molesting a minor.

Arapahoe County sheriff’s officials said in a statement Friday that investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating John Farnsworth Van Der Bosch on Feb. 6 for harassing and blackmailing children via SnapChat and text messages.

According to the press release, investigators said Van Der Bosch sexually exploited children and possessed child sexual abuse material. He was arrested on May 22.

He is accused of the following:

• Five counts of sexual exploitation of a child, ranging from class 3 to class 5 felonies
• One count of sexual extortion, a Class 4 felony
• Aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felony

Van Der Bosch was booked into the Arapahoe County Detention Center and is being held on $100,000 bail.

The press release does not mention the number of victims, nor their age or gender. However, investigators believe there are more victims.

Anyone with information about this case or who knows someone who was harassed or exploited by Van Der Bosch can call the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Hotline at 720-874-8477.

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