Police say Ross man used Snapchat to proposition teen girls
Allegheny County Police said a Ross man used the social media app Snapchat to proposition teenage girls.
Police arrested Jonathan Smith, 33, on Wednesday. Smith faces a total of 21 charges, including felony sexual assault, corruption of minors, and aggravated indecent assault. He is facing several misdemeanor charges, including terroristic threats, harassment, and luring a child into a vehicle.
Police said Smith used Snapchat to contact three 14-year-old girls and a 12-year-old girl. In conversations with the girls, police said Smith asked them to meet him and, in some instances, the talk turned sexual, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI.
Smith asked one girl to send nude photos of herself and threatened to kill her if she refused, according to detectives.
Police said Smith first approached one of the girls as she was walking home from school in McKees Rocks. The girl told Smith she was 14 and he responded “no one has to know,” according to police.
WPXI reports that police were first alerted to Smith’s actions when one of the victims’ older sister became aware of the Snaps and contacted them.
Smith’s bail was denied and he is currently confined in the Allegheny County Jail.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at rdeto@triblive.com.
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