Man arrested for using Butter Bear profile to exploit children

[webfact]

Man arrested for using Butter Bear profile to exploit children. Picture courtesy of Thairath

A 51 year old man has been arrested for using the profile of Butter Bear to deceive a 12 year old girl into recording explicit videos. Police discovered multiple victims, with some having been threatened for as long as five years.

 

The arrest took place at the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) in Mueang Thong Thani. Police Lieutenant General Worawat Watnakornbancha, along with Kamolsit Wongbootnoi from the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), Police Major General Attasit Sutsangaun, Police Major General Sathit Promutai, Police Major General Chusak Khanatnit, and Police Colonel Khampee Promsonti, reported the operation named INNOCENCE.

 

The operation resulted in the capture of a man using the profile of a popular bear mascot, Butter Bear, to lure a 12 year old girl into recording explicit videos.

 

The collaborative effort between the TCSD and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) from the United States was a part of a training program with Thai Cyber Police. The case came to light when the mother of the 12 year old girl reported to the Chanthaburi Police Station that her daughter had been threatened by an anonymous individual to send explicit photos and videos.

The girl had been playing a well-known online game, Arena of Valor (AoV), on her mobile phone and had interacted with a user named dek-d.com through the in-game chat.

Their conversations, initially about the game, eventually turned personal, leading to an exchange of contact details and a shift to chatting on the LINE app. The perpetrator, using the LINE ID butter bear!! The profile picture of the popular bear mascot convinced the girl to send explicit photos and videos.

 

When she became aware of the malicious intent and refused to send more, the perpetrator threatened to publicly release the materials, causing her significant stress and behavioural changes.

 

Upon learning of the situation, the girl’s parents promptly reported the matter to the police. Following an investigation, police arrested 51 year old Surapong Thavorn. During questioning, Surapong confessed to targeting children under 18 years old for years, reported KhaoSod.

 

He admitted to having at least five victims, including one who had been blackmailed from the age of 14 until 18. The police believe there are more victims and are actively investigating to provide further assistance.

 

by Bright Choomanee 

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-07-25

 

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[brianthainess]

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

he profile picture of the popular bear mascot convinced the girl to send explicit photos and videos.

Why on earth would a picture of a bear, convince a 12 yr old to send explicit photos and videos, did her parents not warn her of stranger danger. Even without the threat of releasing them, she must have known it was wrong. It may sound like I'm victim blaming but I'm just saying it as it is.

[FritsSikkink]

17 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

 It may sound like I'm victim blaming but I'm just saying it as it is.

Yes, you are blaming a 12 year old child.

No words about the vile person who took advantage from several children.

[nakhonandy]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Why on earth would a picture of a bear, convince a 12 yr old to send explicit photos and videos, did her parents not warn her of stranger danger. Even without the threat of releasing them, she must have known it was wrong. It may sound like I'm victim blaming but I'm just saying it as it is.

Not all 12 year olds are that aware of these sort of predators and oddly may not have realised who she was sending the images to.

The parents could have been more proactive regarding her Internet use and this would have been highlighted earlier.

Fortunately, when they did realise what was going on they informed the police.

Many parents don't, through shame or some other stupid reason.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Why on earth would a picture of a bear, convince a 12 yr old to send explicit photos and videos, did her parents not warn her of stranger danger. Even without the threat of releasing them, she must have known it was wrong. It may sound like I'm victim blaming but I'm just saying it as it is.

Please realise where we are, the level of child education available, the "do not challenge adults culture", and the parental lack of care what kids are doing.

 

[orchis]

6 hours ago, brianthainess said:

It may sound like I'm victim blaming but I'm just saying it as it is.

No, it sounds like for you grooming and abuse is acceptable behavior.

[AreYouGerman]

6 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Yes, you are blaming a 12 year old child.

No words about the vile person who took advantage from several children.

 

A 12 year old who sent nudes to a stranger. "She didn't know what she was doing". Hopefully she will be taught a lesson by her parents, f. ex. no more alone with the phone. But I have doubts.

[retarius]

Doesn't take long for the evil to adapt to new trend using tech. Ugh.

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

7 hours ago, brianthainess said:

 It may sound like I'm victim blaming but I'm just saying it as it is.

Yes, you are blaming a 12 year old child.

 

Where is the blame?  He's simply expressing shock that a 12 year old would send explicit photos to someone online.  Saying you're surprised someone did something is in no way blaming them.

 

[BangkokReady]

5 hours ago, nakhonandy said:

may not have realised who she was sending the images to

 

It's very likely that the perp originally pretended to be another young person.  Hence the article says she didn't know there was malicious intent.

[Gottfrid]

7 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Why on earth would a picture of a bear, convince a 12 yr old to send explicit photos and videos, did her parents not warn her of stranger danger. Even without the threat of releasing them, she must have known it was wrong. It may sound like I'm victim blaming but I'm just saying it as it is.

No, your are not victim blaming at all, even if the below poster directly go for that. At the age of 12 all girls know that they should not send naked explicit pictures to strangers. 
The guy is definitely a big evil arse, but there is no possibility that a teddy bear can make a 12 year old girl take off her clothes.
 

6 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Yes, you are blaming a 12 year old child.

No words about the vile person who took advantage from several children.

I have some words above, but combined with same opinion as @brianthainess. Of course one must wonder what goes on in the head of underaged girls that do such things. It also mentioned a 14 year old girl that did the same. Do you mean that neither the school, friends nor parents have said anything about such things.
 

5 hours ago, nakhonandy said:

Not all 12 year olds are that aware of these sort of predators and oddly may not have realised who she was sending the images to.

The parents could have been more proactive regarding her Internet use and this would have been highlighted earlier.

Fortunately, when they did realise what was going on they informed the police.

Many parents don't, through shame or some other stupid reason.

Even worse to send if you do not know who your are sending to. You should not even send to people you know, as they can later be used against you. This is things children must know at the age of 12.
 

1 hour ago, orchis said:

No, it sounds like for you grooming and abuse is acceptable behavior.

No, he is definitely not, but if that is what you understand, then I can only feel sorry for you.

[Evil Penevil]

7 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Why on earth would a picture of a bear, convince a 12 yr old to send explicit photos and videos, did her parents not warn her of stranger danger. 

 

Many predators target children who are vulnerable and therefore susceptible to persuasion. The intellectual development of these children may lag behind their biological age, making them easy to fool.  A predator can come into contact with hundreds of kids online, but will concentrate on the few he feels will respond to his approach.

 

A 12-year-old girl can feel isolated in real life due to physical and/or mental problems.  Some may feel like outcasts at school or have a difficult home life.  They find solace online and may even believe they have found a boyfriend.  They are willing to send explicit pics to keep the "love of their life" happy.

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

 

Many predators target children who are vulnerable and therefore susceptible to persuasion. The intellectual development of these children may lag behind their biological age, making them easy to fool.  A predator can come into contact with hundreds of kids online, but will concentrate on the few he feels will respond to his approach.

 

A 12-year-old girl can feel isolated in real life due to physical and/or mental problems.  Some may feel like outcasts at school or have a difficult home life.  They find solace online and may even believe they have found a boyfriend.  They are willing to send explicit pics to keep the "love of their life" happy.

You don´t have a love of your life when you are 12.

[Evil Penevil]

13 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

You don´t have a love of your life when you are 12.

 

I agree.  But unfortunately, some troubled and deluded 12-year-old girls desperately want to believe they do.

[Chris Daley]

But he didn't do anything.  What law is he braking?

 

Lock up the parents for letting their kid play adult games online.

[Gottfrid]

11 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

But he didn't do anything.  What law is he braking?

 

Lock up the parents for letting their kid play adult games online.

Are you sure everything is ok?

[jcmj]

This is just another example of how the Thai education system is failing. Kids need to be taught about these things from a young age by both the parents and the teachers. There are so many predators out there and we need to have an open dialogue about sexual manipulation and why you should never send explicit photos to anyone. It’s a sick world we live in. Anyone caught preying on our children must be punished severely. 

[StayinThailand2much]

Butter bear?? Googling, I only found butterbeer...

[DrPhibes]

20 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Butter bear?? Googling, I only found butterbeer...

That's not the bear they should be looking for.

[DrPhibes]

21 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Are you sure everything is ok?

I wouldn't say that.  However, there is the law and then there is natural development.  Over time and cultures, sexuality has been all over the map. In current African tribes, humans as young as six are allowed to have sex and are instructed by adults how to both give and receive sexual pleasure without any emotional/societal hang ups.  Some tribes,  the prospective groom has to have sex with one of his brides aunts to make sure he is good enough in bed.  If the aunt determines he is not very good, the wedding does not proceed.  The Himba tribe often share their wives with a house guest.  Even in the US, age of consent was at one time rather low by today's standards.  Heck, in the California 70's, the girls in my junior high were the sexually aggressive ones, and it was way more than I show you mine and you show me yours.  In 1880 in the United States, the ages of consent were set at 10 or 12 in most states, with the exception of Delaware where it was 7.

[john donson]

we as man do not understand the dangers as a young girl or woman

 

did you never tell yourself when you saw a pretty woman, I would f.... that...

 

times all the man around walking and thinking the same

 

some psycho dude with no values, conscience,... might actually go and rape that person