Man raped 12-year-old and preyed on young girls through Snapchat, Indiana cops say
An Indiana man is facing charges after police say he used the social media app Snapchat to prey on young girls and sexually assault them.
Benjamin Owen Rollo, 20, is charged with three counts of child molesting, two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and two counts of possession of child pornography, according to a Nov. 10 news release from the Westfield Police Department.
McClatchy News reached out to Rollo’s attorney who did not wish to comment on the case.
In December 2022, police said they received a complaint accusing Rollo of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl.
The complaint came after the girl’s mother searched through her daughter’s cellphone and found messages between her daughter and friends talking about the assault, according to court documents, WTHR reported.
The girl told police that in July 2022, she and her 15-year-old friend snuck out to meet Rollo, according to WXIN. He then drove them to a park and told the friend to get out of the car, the outlet reported, citing police. The girl said that’s when he raped her in the back seat, court documents said, according to WXIN.
“He wanted to do stuff and I told him no but he did it anyways,” she said in the messages, WXIN reported.
The girl told police Rollo contacted them on Snapchat and said he was 18 years old, according to the news outlet.
The girls said they met Rollo on Snapchat under the username “Johnny.backer,” according to WRTV.
Police say after investigating, they found evidence on Rollo’s Snapchat account that he raped a 14-year-old girl in December 2022 and tried to convince the girl through messages that it was not rape, WTHR reported.
“In today’s digital age, it’s crucial to stay vigilant and proactive about your kids’ online activities,” the Westfield Police Department said in a Facebook page.
Rollo is accused of using his Snapchat account to prey on girls between 11 and 15 years old, according to WRTV.
Westfield is about 20 miles north of Indianapolis.
This story was originally published November 15, 2023 at 11:51 AM with the headline "Man raped 12-year-old and preyed on young girls through Snapchat, Indiana cops say."
