Arizona man accused of luring minors for sexual exploitation

A 70-year-old Arizona man was arrested Wednesday after an investigation into online child exploitation offenses, authorities said.

The Prescott Police Department identified the man taken into custody as David Velasquez.

The case was referred to the department by authorities in Portland, Tennessee, after detectives identified social media accounts and electronic data connecting Velasquez to multiple incidents of online luring involving minors.

Prescott police discovered several underage victims in multiple states, including an out-of-state 13-year-old who Velasquez first contacted when she was 11.

Velasquez was detained and a search warrant was served for his belongings and home. Evidence consistent with the ongoing luring of minors was found during a search of Velasquez’s cell phone. He was also found to be in possession of child sexual abuse material.

He was booked into the Yavapai County Jail on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and luring of a minor for sexual exploitation.

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