Courtesy of Kik
If you or someone you know has been in contact with Tjtj201 on the Kik app, please call Det. Philip Adazzewski at (646) 872-7609.
By Forum Staff
A Jamaica man has been charged with various crimes for sending sexually explicit content via an online app to an individual whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl living in Queens, but said “girl” was actually an undercover detective with the City Police Department, Acting Queens District Attorney John Ryan recently announced.
Richard Wood, 33, was arraigned earlier this month on a complaint charging him with attempted use of a child in sexual performance, first-degree attempted dissemination of indecent material to minors, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child. Bail has been set at $25,000 and Wood was ordered to return to court on May 28.
According to the charges, on April 8 at approximately 7 p.m., an undercover NYPD detective posing online as a 14-year-old Queens girl received an introductory instant message from Wood who was using the screen name Tjtj201 on the Kik app. Following the first message, Wood allegedly continued his chat by sending a series of sexually-explicit messages along with pictures to the underage “girl.”
According to the charges, a week later Wood followed up with explicit photos of a penis and asked the “girl” to video chat with him. In one picture, Wood allegedly shared another photo with a penis positioned next to a bottle of lotion. During the course of that conversation, the detective pretending to be the girl told Wood that she was just 14. Wood allegedly responded by reassuring her that he was not a cop and that he had no problem with her age.
According to the criminal complaint, Wood asked the “teen” to send him pictures of her exposed breasts for him to look at while he masturbated. The following day, Wood contacted the alleged victim several more times in the hopes of arranging a face-to-face meeting. This time a female undercover police officer, posing as the 14-year-old girl, did a video chat with Wood. During the 10-minute exchange, Wood allegedly asked again to meet with the girl face to face, to see her breasts, and offered to come to the girl’s home.
Ryan said, according to the charges, on April 22, law enforcement officials obtained a subpoena for Wood’s Kik account and verified that his IP address was connected to the Kik account and the chats with the underage “teen.” Wood was subsequently arrested.
A court ordered search warrant was executed at Wood’s Grand Central Parkway residence and detectives are seeking any other potential victims. If you or someone you know has been in contact with Tjtj201 on the Kik app, please call Det. Philip Adazzewski at (646) 872-7609.
“For many, the internet is a great learning tool with access to a plethora of valuable information. But for some, unfortunately, it is a place to troll for children to satisfy their demented sexual fantasies,” Ryan added.
If convicted, Wood faces up to seven years in prison.
