Southgate man convicted of sexually exploiting 15-year-old via social media
SOUTHGATE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 32-year-old Southgate man was convicted of sexually exploiting a 15-year-old he met on Snapchat.
After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Nopphadon Ninsawat guilty "of multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt of child pornography," on Nov. 28, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
During the trial, evidence was presented that the defendant's initial interaction with the 15-year-old victim was on Snapchat. After a period of communication, the minor's mother discovered their conversations and contacted the defendant to inform him of her child's age.
Despite promising to cease contact with the 15-year-old, Ninsawat began communicating with them again within a day – pressuring the minor to share sexually explicit images using Instagram's "vanishing mode," even though the minor expressed a lack of interest, according to the attorney's office.
Upon seeing the interactions again, the minor's mother notified the Gibraltar Police Department.
"This defendant persuaded a vulnerable child to create and send him sexually explicit images. I applaud the bravery of the victim for testifying about the defendant’s conduct in this case. The jury’s verdict will help us secure the significant sentence warranted by defendant’s conduct," said US Attorney Dawn N. Ison in the release.
"This predator will spend a significant amount of time behind bars thanks to the efforts of this survivor and their family," Homeland Security Investigations Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar added. "This case not only highlights the danger that predators pose online, but also the efforts that we must take as parents and community members to have open conservations with our children about coming forward to report predatory behavior online."
Ninsawat sentencing has been scheduled for March 13, 2024. He faces a mandatory-minimum prison sentence of 15 years.
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