Man Accused of Trying to Sexually Exploit Boys Via X-Box Live, MineCraft

Boston, MA — Two Massachusetts boys were listed among the victims of an Illinois man charged with attempted sexual exploitation through X-Box Live and MineCraft.

Zack Sawyer, 31, was indicted Thursday in U.S. District Court in Springfield on two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, Sawyer used the online interactive video games to communicate with at least eight boys, between ages 10 to 13, in three different states, including Massachusetts.

Around May 2010, Sawyer allegedly used X-Box Live to chat with two 13-year-old boys in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. He allegedly asked both boys to send him nude pictures. When the boys refused, Sawyer allegedly threatened to rape and kill them, telling one of the boys he had a drug that could paralyze people.

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It wasn't the first or last time, according to allegations laid out in the court documents.

In March of 2010, Sawyer allegedly used the same platform to contact 12-year-old boys in Illinois, making similar demands and, later, threats. In August 2010, he allegedly reached out to another Illinois 12-year-old, asking the boy to send him nude photos and his home address. In January 2011, Sawyer allegedly had sexually explicit chats with two Illinois 13-year-olds, then threatened to kill them and their families if they told anyone.

The court documents allege Sawyer was aware of a Massachusetts warrant for his arrest in 2014, yet he still contacted a 10-year-old Virginia boy through MineCraft, sending the boy photos of his genitals and inducing the boy to expose himself during a Skype video chat.

Sawyer was arrested four months later.

If convicted, he will spend no less than 15 and no more than 30 years in prison, followed by a minimum five years or a lifetime of supervised release. He also faces a $250,000 fine, plus unspecified restitution.

>> Photo by Lei Gao via Flickr/Creative Commons