Tuolumne County Man Arrested for Allegedly Using Drugs to Solicit Minors for Sex
Above: Items confiscated during search | Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office
A Tuolumne County man has been arrested after an investigation uncovered that he had allegedly been using Snapchat to target minors and solicit nude photos or sex acts in exchange for drugs.
In a press release on Sunday, February 26, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office identified 30-year-old David Pacheco as the subject of an investigation that began early the previous week.
Acting on a tip of alleged suspicious behavior regarding Pacheco, who is on active Post Release Community Supervision, the county High-Risk Supervision Team conducted a search of his home, as well as his vehicle and storage unit, in Sonora on Tuesday, February 21.
During the search, authorities reportedly confiscated fourteen pounds of marijuana, almost two ounces of psychedelic mushrooms, other marijuana products such as concentrates, vape pens, and edibles, and alcohol and tobacco products.
This investigation, as well as the efforts of a local school resource officer, led to the discovery that Pacheco had allegedly been using the social media app Snapchat to send and receive sexually explicit images and videos with minors, in exchange for drugs or alcohol.
Pacheco also allegedly engaged in sex acts with minors in exchange for drugs, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Pacheco reportedly also admitted to investigators that he had been selling marijuana to juveniles around the county, under a system in which he would allegedly have minors video themselves smoking marijuana as “verification,” then bring them into a private chat and coordinate the transactions.
Based on an interview and a search of Pacheco’s phone, investigators believe he may have targeted over 100 local minors, ranging in age from 8th grade to high schoolers, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Pacheco was arrested and booked on suspicion of possession of a narcotic for sale, selling marijuana to a minor, possession of child pornography, and commission of a sexual act with a minor.
