84 Victims nets 84-year jail sentence
for prolific child sex abuser
By Gina Dvorak and Amanda Alvarado
Published: Dec. 21, 2025 at 7:38 AM PST|Updated: 4 hours ago
INDIANAPOLIS (WOWT/Gray News) - A man was sentenced to 84 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting 84 teenage victims, and authorities believe there are more victims.
Austin Ryan Lauless, known online as “Cason Fredrickson” or “APOPHIS,” pleaded guilty in September to 13 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, five counts of sex trafficking of a minor, two counts of advertising child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material.
His 84 victims are from nearly every state in the United States, and at least five are from foreign countries.
According to court documents, Lauless used social media platforms, particularly Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Yubo and Purp, to “coerce, exploit, and threaten” victims ages 13 to 17 into taking sexually explicit photos and videos.
Calling himself Cason Fredrickson and using photos and videos from another user’s profile, he posed as a teen from New York or other major cities, when he was actually in his late 20s and living in hotels and motels in Texas and Colorado. He also used voice modulators and third-party applications to edit photos and videos to make it seem like his content was recorded live through social media platforms, where he would groom them.
“He feigned romantic interest in victims, told them they were attractive, and pretended to be in online relationships,” officials said in the press release. “He purchased items for many victims through Amazon — including fishnet stockings, sexual devices, and customized T-shirts — which he instructed them to wear while producing sexually explicit material. These items were shipped either directly to victims or to designated Amazon lockers for pickup."
Once Lauless had the photos and videos, he threatened to make them public if the victims didn’t do what he told them to or if they went to their parents or police.
“At least one victim reported to Lauless that she was contemplating suicide,” federal officials said.
Federal authorities said Lauless also engaged in sex trafficking with at least five of his victims, forcing children to engage in sexual acts with men. Some were also forced to endure sadomasochistic abuse and bestiality. The abuse was recorded and duplicated for sale on platforms like Discord, Instagram, Telegram and MEGA.
“The sheer scale of this investigation and prosecution underscores the relentless commitment of federal law enforcement to dismantle networks of exploitation that prey on our children,” said John Childress, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Austin Lauless orchestrated a campaign of abuse that spanned nearly every state and multiple countries, leaving behind profound harm. While no punishment can erase the trauma these young survivors endured, today’s sentence sends a clear message: we will pursue predators across every platform, every jurisdiction, and every border until justice is served.”
The case, part of Project Safe Childhood, was investigated by the FBI with support from U.S. attorney’s offices in Iowa, Missouri, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force also helped with the investigation.
If you or someone you know believes they are a victim of Lauless, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.
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Sex offender notification
The Flagstaff Police Department would like to make the following sex offender notifications:
David Anthony Riley, 49, is listed at 2440 East Lucky Lane in Flagstaff. He was convicted of sexual battery in 2014.
Sex offender notifications are required by Arizona law. They are not wanted by the law enforcement at this time. Resident abuse of this information to threaten, intimidate or harass sex offenders will not be tolerated by the police department.
California Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child
According to court documents, Barraza paid multiple women to sexually abuse young boys during video calls with him for his own sexual gratification. Barraza recorded these video calls, adding them to his collection of more than 1,000 videos and images of child sexual abuse material that he maintained on his phones and tablet. Barraza also shared his child sexual abuse material on internet sharing platforms and in text messages to individuals. Barraza made multiple attempts to pay for the services of “a girl around age 10” to perform oral sex on him.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Redding Police Department, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Forest Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. AlegrÃa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
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