US airman accused of coercing 9-year-old into sharing explicit images

A 31-year-old U.S. airman, David Ibarra, has been charged with coercing a 9-year-old girl into sharing sexually explicit images of herself. Ibarra allegedly posed as a 13-year-old boy while chatting with the girl through TikTok and the gaming platform Roblox. He was arrested in February in Anchorage, Alaska, where he was stationed as an active-duty member of the Air Force. Following his arraignment in a New York federal court, the judge ordered him to be held pending trial on charges including sexual exploitation of a child.

Prosecutors claim that the girl, who resides on Long Island, met Ibarra on TikTok in August. He convinced her to switch to Roblox for communication, falsely presenting himself as a young boy from Texas. Over time, Ibarra allegedly instructed her to create explicit videos and images, compensating her with $191 through 17 transactions via Apple Pay.

The girl's mother eventually detected inappropriate messages and posed as her older sister to gather more details. During this interaction, Ibarra sent a selfie that partially revealed his identity. Investigators utilized Ibarra's phone number, linked to El Paso, Texas, and examined his iCloud account to confirm his identity.

In a confession during interrogation, Ibarra reportedly admitted to paying the girl for the explicit content, stating he believed she was 12 years old. Prosecutors also disclosed that he had coerced other minors into sending similar images, including a victim in New Jersey.

Since his arrest, Ibarra has been in an unpaid status within the Air Force, although details regarding any potential military disciplinary actions remain unclear. His lawyer has yet to provide a comment regarding the case.