An 18-year-old Pembroke Pines man is facing a felony child-solicitation charge after police say he turned the online game Roblox into a marketplace for explicit content, trading in-game currency for sexually explicit images and pressuring minors to expose themselves. Authorities identified the suspect as Manuel Eduardo Rodriguez, and an arrest report lists an 8-year-old girl as one victim who allegedly sent two explicit videos. Rodriguez was booked into the Broward Main Jail and remains held on a $10,000 bond, according to jail records.
An arrest report obtained by Local 10 News states that in November 2025 Roblox flagged an account for "online solicitation of a minor" and alerted Pembroke Pines police. Investigators say Rodriguez "enticed children to video chat while exposing the child's genital(s) in exchange for Robux" and that he admitted giving Robux to minors in return for sexually explicit photos or videos. The arrest report includes a redacted alleged confession. Local 10 reports that Roblox later clarified the platform does not support video chat.
How Roblox Is Responding
Roblox moved to tighten age verification and chat controls last year following lawsuits and mounting public scrutiny, including plans to expand facial age-estimation and ID checks for users accessing chat features, according to AP News. The company described the rollout of these tools as part of a broader effort to limit cross-age messaging and bolster protections for young users, per Roblox's announcement.
Arrest Details And Custody
Pembroke Pines police say they arrested Rodriguez on March 25, 2026, according to Local 10 News, which reports investigators recovered two explicit videos tied to the original tip. The outlet notes that the report does not spell out exactly how the exchanges took place and that Roblox told the station its platform does not allow video chat. A Roblox spokesperson told Local 10 News, "Roblox takes child safety very seriously and we have zero tolerance for illegal activity on our platform."
What Parents Can Do
Parents still have tools to push back. Experts recommend reviewing account privacy and parental controls, locking down who children can communicate with, and keeping close tabs on both spending and screen time on gaming platforms. The Broward Sheriff's Office offers local online-safety guidance along with an ICAC task force that investigates child exploitation, and national reports can be filed through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline. Roblox also publishes parental controls and instructions for linking a parent account to a child's profile so families can manage chat settings and purchases from their own devices.
