Brayden Storey, a 21-year-old from West Fork, Arkansas, has been arrested and charged with enticing a minor, as announced by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years in prison and could result in a life sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins is handling the case. According to the complaint, the West Seneca Police Department received a report on June 13, 2024, from a minor victim who had interacted with Storey online. The victim stated that Storey first contacted her on Instagram in September 2022 when she was 13 and he was 19. They also communicated via Discord and text messages over discussions about video games and anime shows. Over time, Storey's communications became increasingly sexual.
In October 2023, Storey sent the victim a nude image of himself and repeatedly requested sexually explicit images from her. From October 2023 to March 2024, they exchanged such images.
The minor eventually blocked Storey on all social media platforms in March 2024. In response, Storey created another Instagram account to reach out to her again. He called her approximately 50 times over two days in April 2024; however, she did not answer and blocked his number. In May 2024, Storey mailed the victim a four-page letter expressing suicidal thoughts and his desire for a relationship despite their age difference. Alongside the letter was a lock of his hair.
Authorities recovered nude images of Storey and child pornography from the minor's phone during their investigation.
Storey appeared initially in the Western District of Arkansas where he was detained pending transfer to the Western District of New York.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the West Seneca Police Department led by Chief Brian Cosgrove and the FBI under Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia's direction. Additional support came from several law enforcement bodies across Arkansas.
It is important to note that being charged with a crime does not equate to guilt; defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
