A Long Island grand jury has indicted an 18-year-old man for sexually abusing a pair of 11-year-old boys he met on Snapchat.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney stated that Bradley Schioppa deceived the boys into thinking he was their peer after joining their Snapchat group in April. The boys eventually discovered he was older when he started appearing at their regular meeting spots.
Schioppa drove them around in his car, gave them snacks, and helped them play pranks, the DA’s office said.
Schioppa allegedly raped one boy in a park bathroom and the other in a drugstore bathroom, manipulating the situations as “a prank or dare,” promising them payment. The deception ended in May when one boy’s mother discovered the messages between Schioppa and her son and confronted him about it.
Schioppa was arrested on May 21. Following his indictment, he was arraigned on Tuesday, facing charges that include three counts of rape, two counts of sexual abuse, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
“This defendant is accused of committing horrific acts against two innocent children,” said Tierney. “These charges reflect the seriousness of the alleged conduct. Protecting our most vulnerable residents, especially children, remains my highest priority. We will pursue this case with the full force of the law to deliver the justice these children deserve.”
Schioppa is being held on a $450,000 cash bond, $900,000 bond, or $4.5 million partially secured bond and is due back in court on July 8.
The district attorney’s office asked anyone who believes their child may have communicated with Schioppa via his Snapchat account — “paxonhotsg5” — to contact them at 631-852-2555 or the Suffolk County Police Department Special Victims Section at 631-852-6531.
