Grand jury indicts Newport man suspected of using Snapchat to lure local child

A 19-year-old Newport man was indicted Thursday, July 23, by a Lane County grand jury on a charge of luring a minor. Diego Rojas-Hernandez was arrested July 1 after detectives began investigating alleged “online exploitation of a local child involving the Snapchat application,” according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. Oregon State Police detectives assisted the sheriff’s office and arrested Rojas-Hernandez, the sheriff’s office said. The indictment alleges Rojas-Hernandez in February furnished or used with a minor “a visual representation, an explicit verbal description or a narrative account of sexual conduct, for the purpose of inducing the minor to engage in sexual conduct.” The charge is a felony. The alleged luring took place in February, when Rojas-Hernandez was 18.  The indictment does not state the age of the alleged victim. In Oregon, a minor is defined as someone under 18. If a person is less than three years older than the minor, that is considered a defense to the charge of luring a minor. Rojas-Hernandez has an arraignment scheduled for Aug. 21, according to court records.
Read More