FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — A Fort Wayne man has been arrested after a group posing as underage girls online contacted police with allegations that he engaged in inappropriate communication with a child.
According to WANE-15, Phoenix Tsuleff, 22, was arrested Tuesday and faces charges of child solicitation, child exploitation and inappropriate communication with a child, all Level 4 felonies.
According to court documents, a group based in Kosciusko County had been independently posing as minors online in an effort to identify people they believed were attempting to communicate inappropriately with children.
The group contacted the Fort Wayne Police Department on July 24 and accused Tsuleff of communicating with someone they believed to be a 13-year-old girl.
An officer went to Tsuleff’s home based on the group’s allegations, but no arrest was made at that time and investigators did not seize any devices.
The group later turned over a device used to communicate with Tsuleff while posing as a 13-year-old named “Gabby.” Investigators found screen recordings of conversations through dating and messaging apps.
According to court documents, a phone number connected to one of the accounts communicating with “Gabby” matched Tsuleff’s phone number.
Investigators allege Tsuleff continued communicating with the account after learning the person was 13. He is accused of repeatedly requesting sexually explicit messages and photographs. Court documents also allege Tsuleff sent explicit photographs of himself after the account refused his requests.
Tsuleff is also accused of discussing plans to meet with the person posing as “Gabby” on multiple occasions.
Tsuleff was booked into the Allen County Jail Tuesday.
If convicted on all three charges, he could face up to 36 years in prison if given the maximum sentences.
