Santa Monica man charged in child exploitation scheme; accused of 'grooming teen to be sex slave'
The scheme started in Los Angeles, according to the FBI, and he allegedly victimized young girls in Pennsylvania and other states.
MONTGOMERY Co., Pennsylvania (KABC) -- A Santa Monica man who authorities say posed as a fitness professional on social media is facing federal charges in connection with an alleged online child exploitation scheme, authorities said.
According to the FBI, John Douglas Burch, 54, has been charged with traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct (under 18) and enticement of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and prostitution.
The scheme started in Los Angeles, according to the FBI, and Burch allegedly victimized young girls in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and other states.
In 2014, the FBI said Burch met a girl in Pennsylvania who was 13 or 14 years old via the online chat forum "Omegle." This is where he "groomed her to become his sex slave," according to court documents.
Investigators said he eventually directed her to a local mall where "she would meet men and engage in sex acts under Burch's instructions." According to documents, he would instruct her to sit on a bench and wait for his clients, which included about a dozen men over the span of three years.
They also say he traveled to Pennsylvania at least twice and raped the girl at a hotel. Burch was active on many different social media apps under a slew of names:
Snapchat: Just 9x6.5a (Display Name), Mr. Bigc0ck (Account Name)
KIK: Mstr_Trainer
Discord: @TheBurch9567
Telegram: Burch
Instagram: "@food_is_not_enemy"; "@notyourfitguru2"; "@not_your_fit_guru_original"; "@backup_notryourfitguru
Facebook: Notyourfitguru
Burch posed as a fitness professional and, according to investigators, used messaging apps to solicit his victims.
He would allegedly make them "listen to explicit and sexually-charged audio recordings, watch violent pornography, create pornographic images and videos and transmit the content to him over the internet."
The FBI is worried there could be many victims out there, saying Burch would brag about doing this to others. Investigators believe his victims are in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, California and elsewhere.
If you have information, contact federal investigators through this page at FBI.gov.
Reporter John Paul at our sister station in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
