ST.PAUL, Minn. – A Lewiston man whose online perversity snared 60-plus girls, some as young as 9, pleaded guilty in federal court. Valentin Quintana, 30, pleaded guilty to:
> Production of child pornography.
> Distribution of child pornography.
> Possession of child pornography.
In many cases, according to the criminal complaint, Quintana would convince girls to send him photos or videos of themselves in sexual activity, which he recorded. Then he threatened to expose the girls to their friends and family unless they sent more. Prosecutors called this extortion. Investigators found some videos of girls pleading in tears for Quintana not to do it. The scheme was far-ranging. Investigators found victims in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas and in New Zealand and other countries. The scheme involved multiple social media apps, including Snapchat and Instagram. Quintana operated the scheme from April 2022 and June 2023 out of his home in Lewiston, population1,600, in central Winona County. He was slick. The criminal cimolant said that Quintana used fake identities and lied about his age and often posed as a minor himself. He told girls was their friend or sometimes a romantic partner. In some cases. the complaint said, he offerrf money.
Quintana. Accused of exploiting girls 9 to 12 years old.
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Andrew Luger, U.S. attorney for Minnesota: “Online predators are using social media apps to befriend, coerce, and ultimately extort children and teens.“ Thousands of minor victims have been the target of this horrific exploitation. It’s imperative that we as a community engage with our kids about sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.”