A San Diego man, Eric Jacob Layton, who previously went by the name Eric Leighton Abrams, has been arrested and charged with attempted child pornography production. Layton allegedly deceived young victims on social media by posing as a doctor, sports reporter, massage therapist, and youth sports modeling agent in order to solicit sexually explicit photos from minors or set up in-person meetings.
Although facing federal charges in Florida, the FBI has identified several potential victims believed to be based in San Diego, according to NBC San Diego. The suspect primarily targeted minors participating in youth sports, sometimes presenting himself as a sports massage therapist named Travis Parkin who specialized in youth athletics, or as a sports physician named Dr. Alexis Iniesta, per the same report.
Layton was arrested on July 6, 2023, at his home, in connection with the alleged solicitation of a 15-year-old Florida boy, and now awaits extradition to Florida. According to a Fox 5 San Diego article, a criminal complaint filed in federal court states that Layton initially reached out to the boy via Instagram, claiming to be a writer for a sports publication. He then allegedly posed as Dr. Iniesta, asking the boy a series of questions over the phone, which he claimed were necessary for the boy's participation in his sport, and soliciting explicit photos in the process.
The same complaint also mentions that the Instagram and email accounts Layton used to contact the boy were linked back to him. After his arrest, he was initially booked into San Diego County Jail and held on $275,000 bail, as reported by NBC San Diego. He was later released on bond with a hearing set for July 17, 2023, when more information will be available about his legal situation and potential additional charges.
As of now, the FBI and authorities are seeking the public's assistance in identifying any local victims who may have been deceived by Layton. Anyone with information regarding suspicious contact with Layton is encouraged to email the FBI at [email protected] . The investigation is ongoing, but no details have been provided about the exact number of potential victims or the duration of Layton's alleged illicit activities.
