Brayden Storey, a 21-year-old from West Fork, Arkansas, has been arrested and charged with enticing a minor. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced the charges, which could result in a minimum of 10 years in prison or up to life if convicted.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins detailed the case based on the criminal complaint. It states that in June 2024, the West Seneca Police Department received a report from a minor who claimed she had met Storey online. The interactions reportedly began on Instagram in September 2022 when Storey was 19 and the victim was 13. Their communications included discussions about video games and anime shows, but sexual comments by Storey became more frequent by October 2023.
The complaint further alleges that Storey sent nude images of himself to the victim and requested explicit images from her between October 2023 and March 2024. After blocking him on social media platforms, the victim received approximately 50 calls from Storey over two days in April 2024, which she did not answer before blocking his number.
In May 2024, Storey allegedly mailed a four-page letter expressing suicidal thoughts and desires for a relationship despite their age difference, accompanied by a lock of his hair. A search of the victim's phone reportedly uncovered nude images of Storey and child pornography.
Storey's initial court appearance took place in the Western District of Arkansas where he was detained pending transfer to New York for further proceedings.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies including the West Seneca Police Department led by Chief Brian Cosgrove and the FBI under Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Additional support came from various Arkansas law enforcement entities as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Still.
Authorities remind that charges are accusations at this stage and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.