Authorities believe there are more victims
SANTA CRUZ—Authorities with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s announced Friday that they have arrested a Sunnyvale man for soliciting young female teenagers to send him provocative photographs through texting.
Authorities arrested 29-year-old student Scott Joseph Angelo at his home in Sunnyvale. He now faces charges ranging from lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, to possession of obscene material.
Investigators with both Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties have linked Angelo to four additional cases in Santa Cruz County. They also believed that he is responsible for incidents in the states of Indiana and Maryland.
Actual text from Angelo recovered by detectives.
When deputies arrested Angelo they searched his home and found over 50 pictures of the victims in Santa Cruz County cases that were solicited by him. Authorities have evidence that he would text the teens and pose as a relative, in some cases as the teen’s own father. He claimed that his company had changed his work’s cell phone number. He would also inform the teen that a co-worker’s daughter needed help promoting a swimsuit line, and asked if she would be interested in modeling.
Angelo would then give the teens a phone number to the fictitious company. They would talk to a customer service representative, who was actually Angelo. He convinced and directed the teens to take provocative photos of themselves and send them to him.
“We have to remind everyone out there, please do not respond to electronic request for anything that should remain private.” Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Kennedy said, “There are just too many scams out there to take advantage of people, and some of guys are really sophisticated.”
Angelo was arrested at his home in Sunnyvale without incident, and taken back to Santa Cruz County and booked in the County Jail. His bail was set at 50,000.00. He faces charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a child, possession of harmful material of a minor, acquiring harmful material through email, and annoying or molesting a child under the age of eighteen.
Investigators are still investigating this case and believe that there are still more victims. Anyone who believes they have being a victim of Scott Angelo, or have information about this case may contact Authorities at the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office at 1-831-454-7622, and speak with Detective Skalland.
