PETSOKEY, Mich. — In a disturbing case, a 29-year-old man allegedly used the popular online gaming platform Roblox to manipulate and abuse an 11-year-old girl from Petoskey. The incident highlights the potential dangers of online interactions and the need for parents to monitor their children's digital activities closely.
Ryan Dookhan, a licensed security guard from New York, allegedly posed as a teenager on Roblox, befriending the young girl through the game's chat feature.
Their conversation quickly moved to the Justalk app, where Dookhan demanded illicit photos, threatening to find her home and take her away from her parents if she didn't comply.
Investigation Timeline:
- June 2024: The girl met Dookhan on Roblox and began communicating through the game's chat feature and Justalk app.
- June 10, 2024: Dookhan threatened the girl during a video call, demanding explicit content.
- June 11, 2024 to Aug. 8, 2024: The girl sent Dookhan multiple explicit photos and videos despite informing him of her age.
- Sept. 11, 2024: Law enforcement was contacted after the girl's family discovered the conversations.
- Sept. 12, 2024: A search warrant was issued for Dookhan's Justalk account, leading to his identification and arrest.
Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes, emphasized the importance of parental vigilance: "Parents, these are not the video games that you grew up with. ... If you're a parent who has made that choice, then you have to decide to monitor. You must monitor everything that they're in because nothing that they want to do was designed with your child in mind."
Randall Levine, a lawyer specializing in child exploitation cases, noted, "We have child exploitation statutes that prohibit this kind of activity in Michigan. But once you use a computer and you are communicating interstate, that's where you have a federal potential for federal prosecution."
According to backlinko, Roblox had roughly 79.5 million daily active users as of mid-2024, with about 58% being under the age of 16.
Dookhan is currently facing federal felony charges.
The case serves as a stark reminder for parents to be proactive in protecting their children from online predators.
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