SoCal Man Accused of Using Instagram to Advertise and Sell Explicit Images of Teens

Published on July 3, 2024

A San Fernando Valley man was arrested July 2 on suspicion of using Instagram to advertise pornography depicting high school girls without their permission and threatening victims who objected to his behavior, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles announced. Alejandro Garcia Aranda, 23, of Sylmar was charged by federal authorities with one count each of advertisement of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and transmitting threatening communications with the intent to extort. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment June 27 alleging Mr. Aranda used his Instagram account named “valleyhoezzz818” to target local girls who attended schools in the San Fernando Valley, a suburban area about 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles....

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