WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - A Texas police officer is facing charges after officials say he used a video game to meet a 12-year-old girl from Worcester and then continued to communicate with her via text message and Skype for more than 5 years.
Pasquale T. Salas, a deputy sheriff with the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested in Bay City, Texas Wednesday morning, according to a release issued by the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.
The two met in 2014 on the popular computer game, Minecraft.
According to the 13-page indictment, the deputy would refer to himself as “Gino” or “daddy,” calling the girl “babygirl.”
Over the years, the girl sent Salas hundreds of explicit photos of herself.
Prosecutors say that beginning in 2016, Salas allegedly intimidated the victim into maintaining contact with him and to send sexually explicit images and video of herself.
Allegedly threatening to publish the photos he already had or rape the girl’s sister.
The now 17-year-old victim reported the deputy’s behavior to police last spring.
According to the release, the victim attempted to end her contact with Salas but, he repeatedly sent threatening messages via web-based applications intended to disguise the source of the messages.
The indictment details years of alleged manipulation and control where Salas would force the girl to follow his rules under threat of sexual violence.
He is due to appear in federal court in the Southern District of Texas on Thursday. He will appear in Worcester at a later date.
If convicted, Salas could face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
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