Florida man accused of sexually exploiting children in Scottsdale

PHOENIX — Police arrested a Florida man they suspect of sexually exploiting Scottsdale children, authorities announced Thursday.

Jacob Lozano, 23, is accused of sexually manipulating boys he found on social media and gaming platforms, the Scottsdale Police Department said.

The Scottsdale Police Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) unit first heard about the situation in November 2023, officials said.

A Scottsdale resident told the unit about a sexually explicit text conversation between Lozano and their 11-year-old son, police said.

HEAT detectives then took over the victim’s account and discovered Lozano coerced boys he met online into engaging in sexual activity over webcam, police said.

Officials said they found evidence Lozano also distributed the child sexual abuse materials.

How did Scottsdale police catch the Florida man?

The initial 11-year-old boy Lozano was talking to was one of three Scottsdale victims, police said.

Scottsdale police partnered with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to obtain an indictment and nationwide arrest warrant. HEAT detectives then contacted the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office and secured a search warrant for Lozano’s home in Arcadia, Fla.

The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office arrested him after HEAT detectives secured several pieces of evidence, police said. Lozano is currently awaiting extradition to Maricopa County.