Tucson man accused of using social media app to attract minors

PHOENIX — A Tucson man was recently indicted by a grand jury for allegedly using an anonymous social media application to attract minors over a four-month period.

Patrick Michael Winkler was charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of luring a minor for sexual exploitation, three counts of unlawful age misrepresentation and one count of failure to register as a sex offender.

According to the Arizona Attorney General’s office, Winkler used the cell phone application Whisper in an attempt to lure minors from November 2017 to March 2018.

The indictment alleged that Winkler “knowingly misrepresented his age during the chats for the purpose of committing a sexual offense.”

Winker also pleaded guilty in 2002 to one count of child molestation. The indictment also alleged that he failed to comply with sex offender requirements.

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