'Candy Man Sam MN' Charged In Discord-Based Child Prostitution Case

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN — An Inver Grove Heights man has been charged with multiple counts related to the production of child sexual abuse material and for coercing minors to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger Friday.

The indictment charges Snell with six counts of production of child pornography and two counts of coercing a minor to engage in prostitution. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court Thursday before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster.

A detention hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 17.

According to court documents, Samuel Eric Snell, 45, a.k.a. “Storm Blackwood” and “Candy Man Sam MN,” was a member of an online community on the gaming platform Discord that sold “services” to adult customers.

Specifically, minor girls, referred to as “kittens,” would sell online companionship to adults, referred to as “masters,” in payments usually made through CashApp or as in-kind gifts, authorities said.

The Discord channel names included “Fun Time Kitty Klub,” “Pretty Kitty Hangout,” “Safe Kitten Konnection,” and “Kitten Server Name,” according to investigators.

Direct messages obtained from Snell’s Discord account show he actively solicited illicit images from his chat partners, many of whom self-identified as minors and indicated that they were grappling with gender identity, sexuality, and mental health concerns, prosecutors said.

Snell generally followed the same script when soliciting images from these minors, according to authorities.

In several instances, Snell solicited and received sexually explicit images of minor victims with the intent to groom them to eventually produce child sexual abuse material, investigators said.

Snell also sent his minor victims electronic sex toys that he controlled remotely and then solicited and received depictions of them using the devices, according to authorities.

On at least two occasions, Snell took a minor to a hotel, paid them $100 to engage in sexual intercourse, and provided emergency contraception afterward, prosecutors said.

Investigators believe there may be other victims relevant to this investigation. If your children have been in contact with Snell, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324)