A Forest Lake man has been indicted on charges involving the production and receipt of child pornography and cyberstalking, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Damien William Quinn, 34, who also went by the name Ryan William Shattuck, is facing multiple allegations surrounding his exploitation of minors and his former high school acquaintances using various social media platforms.
The indictment includes four counts of Production of Child Pornography, two counts of Attempted Production of Child Pornography, one count of Receipt of Child Pornography, and five counts of Cyberstalking. Investigators have uncovered that Quinn operated multiple anonymous accounts on Snapchat and Instagram, employing these to deceive minors into sending explicit images and videos. Additionally, he targeted adult women who had previously attended North Branch High School with him, some of whom he claimed to possess nude photos of, and even manipulated one victim's photo to make her appear nude. Eleven victims have been identified so far, six of whom are minors, and five are adults.
U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen confirmed Quinn's arraignment and the subsequent order for him to be held pending trial. The case, which unfolded with the aid of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the local Forest Lake and Eden Prairie Police Departments, seeks to address a grave concern in the digital age: the misuse of technology to violate individual privacy and security. The agencies involved advocate for any additional victims or those who have experienced similar suspicious online activities to come forward and contact the FBI Tip Line.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich is leading the prosecution efforts for a case that exposes the hidden predations that can lurk behind the veneer of familiar digital interfaces. As the investigation is ongoing, authorities believe that there may be other victims who have yet to be identified. Information or experiences concerning behavior from known or unknown accounts, especially interactions seeking sexually explicit material, should be reported to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
It is important to note, as each indictment signifies not a conviction but an allegation, that Damien William Quinn maintains the presumption of innocence until found guilty in a court of law. The forthcoming trial will ultimately determine the veracity of the charges he currently faces.
