Teacher allegedly convinced children to send explicit images on social media, kid’s game | #childpredator | #kidsaftey | #childsaftey

TAMARAC, Fla. (WKRC) – A teacher allegedly convinced children to send him explicit images of themselves on multiple platforms, including a social media platform and a children’s computer game.

According to a federal criminal complaint obtained by local outlet WPLG, the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip in December regarding 26-year-old Evan Michael Sands.

The tip claimed that Sands had a Discord account, a social media and messaging platform tailored for gamers, with two child sexual abuse videos that depicted girls around the age of 6 years old. The tip was reportedly sent by Discord itself. The task force obtained a warrant to examine the rest of Sands’ account, where they reportedly found a trove of evidence.

“The Discord data revealed that Sands, using the username astraldrag0n#0, engaged in numerous conversations with children under the age of 18, some under the age of 12, where he solicited the children to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves,” the complaint read.

Sands also allegedly sent children explicit images of himself while identifying himself “by name and address and his place of employment.” Authorities also said Sands was distributing child sexual abuse images on Discord.

Upon confronting Sands during a traffic stop and searching his home, investigators allegedly obtained Sands’ phone and discovered videos showing the rape and sexual assault of children as young as infants.

Sands allegedly told authorities that he enticed children on Discord by offering to send them “Robux,” a virtual currency on the massively popular children’s video game Roblox. He further admitted that he had solicited sexual material from children as young as 12, per the complaint. He reportedly “estimated” that he started his crimes in 2021.

Sands was arrested and charged with two counts of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material and one count of enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual behavior.

Sands’ former employer, the Randazzo School, said that Sands had been removed from his position and would not be returning to the school. The school did not elaborate on what Sands’ position was or how old the children he worked with were.