US Airman Used Video Games to Lure 9-Year-Old New York Girl

Screen time is at an all-time high amongst most young kids, and this is a stark reminder to remain vigilant; predators are everywhere.

US Airman Arrested for Luring Young Girl

A 31-year-old US airman was arrested back in February and was arraigned in New York on Wednesday after police said he engaged explicitly with a 9-year-old New York girl he met while playing a video game online.

According to NBC New York, David Ibarra, 31, was arraigned Wednesday in a New York federal court after being arrested in February in Anchorage, Alaska, where he served on active duty in the Air Force.

How Did He Prey on Her?

Sources say that Ibarra was an air transportation specialist in Alaska when he met the 9-year-old girl on TikTok and asked her to talk with him while playing Roblox, a popular video game amongst kids.

According to the source, Ibarra told the girl he was a 13-year-old boy living in Texas.  Once he was able to gain her trust, the predator convinced the young girl to text him from her phone while sending explicit videos and images.  The source also states that Ibarra sent her money via Apple Pay, totaling $191 in 17 transactions.

Girl's Mom Posed as Sister to Catch Him

According to NBC New York, the girl's mom became aware of the messages. She acted as the girl's older sister, enabling her to get more information about the person interacting with her daughter.

While interacting with the girl's mother, the source stated that Ibarra sent her a selfie revealing part of his face, allowing prosecutors to search his iCloud account and confirm his identity.

While he was being interrogated, Ibarra allegedly admitted to paying the girl for the images, saying he "thought the victim was 12."

Prosecutors say that the New York girl wasn't the only minor he was interacting with; there was a another girl in New Jersey as well.

NBC New York says that Ibarra has been “in an unpaid status” since his arrest, with the possibility of further legal consequences.