Man posed as One Direction star to lure girls
John Eastman appeared in court on charges including first-degree possession of child pornography, employing a minor in an obscene performance, and using a computer to entice a minor.
Eastman used the screen name Harry.Styles888 on Skype and had pictures of the One Direction singer on his computer, which were used to convince children he was the 19-year-old Styles.
“My hope is that the girl will show me herself on camera and then pose in a sexual manner, or perform some kind of sex act for me to see,” Eastman told detectives, according to his arrest warrant.
Eastman would sometimes offer concert tickets in exchange for children either posing naked or performing sex acts online, authorities said.
Police said they began investigating Eastman after being contacted by a Vermont state trooper, who had been looking into a complaint from a family about a conversation between three girls and a Skype user posing as Styles.
Eastman’s computer contained more than 500 images of child pornography, including some webcam images of children believed to be as young as five, according to the arrest warrant. Police said a search of Eastman’s computer also turned up video footage of several singers, including Styles and Justin Bieber.
He later fled to Virginia, where he was arrested and returned to Connecticut, police said.
He was being held in jail on $500,000 (€385,645) bail and is due back in court next Thursday.
