Melville Man Paid Girls For Feet Pictures, Sexual Photos: SCDA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Melville man was indicted in connection with soliciting child pornography on social media and threatening a teenage girl through "sextortion," Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini announced Thursday.

Bradley Garyn, 27, faces 27 charges including use of a child in a sexual performance, promoting a sexual performance by a child and possessing a sexual performance by a child. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted of the top counts.

"This is a very disturbing case that started with one brave victim coming forward, and our investigation continues to uncover predatory behavior by this defendant against additional victims," Sini stated via news release. "He used social media as a hunting ground and lured these young girls into his scheme, using cash payments in exchange for his twisted, ever-increasing demands. While his scheme has effectively been shut down by this investigation, we know there are many others out there just like him who are using social media to prey upon vulnerable, unsuspecting young victims, so I once again implore parents to monitor your child’s cell phone use and talk to them about the dangers of interacting with strangers on these apps."

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk County Police Department's Computer Crimes Unit began investigating in September following a report that Garyn coerced an underage girl into sending him explicit photographs and videos through Snapchat, authorities said.

Garyn messaged teenage girls on Snapchat with usernames such as "ipay4feetpics," "paying4feetpics" and "PayU4Selfies," and offered them $10 payments in exchange for pictures of their feet, Sini said. Once Garyn received the photos, he paid the girls through mobile payment apps or with Amazon gift cards, officials said.

Garyn eventually solicited increasingly explicit photographs and videos in exchange for higher amounts of money — up to $500 — from girls he established communication with, authorities said. Garyn once coerced a minor into sending him sexually explicit photographs and video by threatening to share intimate images of her, or "sextortion," Sini said.

Garyn was arrested Dec. 3, with law enforcement then seizing various computer equipment and cell phones, officials said. The devices are still being analyzed, Sini said. Law enforcement also recovered Garyn's Amazon account history, which found he sent roughly 900 gift codes to more than 200 people, authorities said.

Garyn was indicted on charges pertaining to five victims, Sini said. However, the ongoing investigation found evidence of more victims, authorities said. Sini urged any additional victims to contact the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office by calling 631-853-4161 or emailing InfoDA@suffolkcountyny.gov.

Garyn was arraigned Wednesday, and bail was set at $300,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or $1 million partially-secured bond. He is being represented by Ira Weissman and is due back in court April 23.

Garyn was charged with four counts of use of a child in a sexual performance (a class C felony); four counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child (a class D felony); four counts of first-degree disseminating indecent material to minors (a class D felony); three counts of first-degree coercion (a class D felony); possessing a sexual performance by a child (a class E felony); five counts of third-degree criminal solicitation (a class E felony); fourth-degree criminal solicitation (a class A misdemeanor); and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child (a class A misdemeanor).