PHOENIX — A Phoenix man accused of exploiting minors on popular gaming platforms faces multiple charges of child exploitation after allegedly sharing explicit content with young teens.
Police arrested Richard Lee McLemore Billingsley, 21, late last month. Investigators said he messaged multiple self-identified minors with nude and explicit content, including child pornography, on Discord. According to court documents, Billingsley admitted to a child that he “fishes" for minors on the social gaming site Roblox.
"Wherever kids are, that's where predators are going to be," said Sarah Grado, CEO of Not My Kid, an organization dedicated to child safety and mental health. "With Roblox in particular, it's viewed as a game just for kids, but it's actually a social platform first, and a game second."
Roblox faces dozens of lawsuits across the country alleging exploitation. The platform recently rolled out age checks and new safety measures for young users.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office said online enticement cases surged by over 192% last year.
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Grado emphasized that safety starts before children go online, particularly during the holiday season when many kids receive technology as gifts.
"This is the season where a lot of kids are going to get technology as presents for the holidays. So we parents need to set those boundaries beforehand," Grado said.
Grado also suggests having kids use these platforms in common areas of the house rather than in bedrooms, where activity can be hidden.
According to court documents, Discord first reached out to Goodyear police with the tip about Billingsley's alleged activities.
Detectives said investigations are ongoing to identify additional child victims while Billingsley faces current child exploitation charges.
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