Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives are asking for the public’s help in finding minors who might have been sexually exploited by a man online.
Investigators say Edward Alessandro Zarate of Santa Maria used social media outlets like Snapchat to contact teens. They say the 20-year-old initially portrayed himself as being a teenager. Detectives assert he would then convince his victims to continue communicating via texts, sharing sexually explicit materials.
During the conversations, he would eventually disclose his true age and identity.
The investigation showed Zarate was in touch with teens throughout the region, including Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Arroyo Grande, and Oxnard, as well as with minors around the state and across the country.
Detectives say Zarate met up with at least two teens and engaged in sexual behavior. They think there are additional survivors who have not yet been identified.
He’s been arrested on multiple felony charges.
