Berea Man Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of Children

BEREA, OH — A Berea man has been charged in federal court with the sexual exploitation of children. The man is accused of contacting children between the ages of 12 and 15 and coercing them into sending him sexually explicit images.

“This case demonstrates how predators will target our children over social media,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “Parents and trusted adults need to make it their business to know who their kids are communicating with. We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to prosecute these predators.”

Cody Swinnerton, 24, of Berea, was investigated by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to an affidavit filed by the Department of Justice. He has been charged with sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography.

Agents with the Task Force received a tip that Swinnerton appeared to be enticing and coercing minors through Instagram and Facebook. He would contact the victims' friends and family as a pressuring tactic and, in some cases, he would even threaten the victims to get images, according to the Department of Justice.

Investigators said they believe Swinnerton's victims may have been located in Ohio, Tennessee, Iowa, Texas, Australia, Austria, and France.

“This case is a disturbing reminder that international borders are no longer a hindrance for online predators,” said Steve Francis, special agent in charge of HSI for Michigan and Ohio. “However, this arrest should assure victims around the world that Homeland Security Investigations and our partners in the international law enforcement community are committed to aggressively targeting those engaged in these heinous acts.”

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On Jan. 25, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Swinnerton's home in Berea. The 24-year-old's computer had images of child pornography, the Department of Justice said.

Besides the Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, HSI-Canberra, the Australian Federal Police, and Australian Border Force all contributed to the investigation.

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