HOUSTON (WVLA) — The FBI is hoping to speak with victims across the country who may have been contacted online by a 37-year-old Texas man accused of exploiting young girls for years.
Patrick Tran, of Cypress, has been charged with sexual exploitation of children, possession of child pornography, coercion and enticement. He was awaiting trial Tuesday, according to a news release from the Department of Justice’s Houston office.
Authorities say Tran may have used the alias “Reggie Smith” or the Snapchat user name Travis_Story20 to entice hundreds of underage females over more than a decade. He may also have used Omegle to contact girls.
According to the allegations, Tran coerced girls to make and send him sexually explicit videos of themselves. The FBI says Tran portrayed himself in videos as a Black male with short hair, wearing sunglasses, a necklace and no shirt.
Officers initially arrested Tran after a woman reported finding her 10-year-old daughter standing naked in front of her iPad, allegedly at the direction of Chan.
Tran was found to have roughly 4,000 webcam-based videos of underage girls engaging in sexually explicit activity, according to the FBI.
Authorities believe his victims may be nationwide and are seeking help in identifying potential underage victims to aid in the ongoing investigation.
If you believe you are a victim or have any information regarding a potential victim, you are asked to fill out the brief secure questionnaire available here.
If Tran is convicted, he faces life in prison.