A 21-year-old Chilean man was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday after officials say he developed an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl he met virtually on Roblox and flew to the U.S. to meet her.
Daniel Aravena Oliva “spent several months manipulating and grooming” the 13-year-old victim through online platforms before he was arrested on suspicion of child exploitation and the production of child pornography, the Glendora Police Department said in a Facebook post. Lt. Matt Fenner, a spokesperson for the agency, said Oliva is now also facing federal charges in the case.
Oliva initially contacted the girl through Roblox, the extremely popular online game platform, Fenner said.
“He coaxed her off of that to somewhere he could speak more freely,” Fenner said. They eventually communicated on Zoom as well as other online platforms, he said.
On Wednesday morning, Oliva arrived at LAX “with the intent of exploiting a minor,” police said. He had booked an Airbnb close to the child’s home and had arranged to meet her in person, officials said.
Glendora police detectives worked with Homeland Security Investigations on the case. Tips about keeping children safe online from the National Children Advocacy Center can be found here.