Federal prosecutors say a San Ramon man turned popular video games and chat apps into hunting grounds, and a grand jury has now indicted him on charges that he coerced and enticed children into sexual activity. Authorities allege he targeted multiple youths, including some as young as 10, in contacts that spanned several platforms and jurisdictions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California announced yesterday that 28-year-old Ishaq Ikharo was indicted on federal counts of coercion and enticement, according to SFGATE. Prosecutors say the alleged conduct took place between April 2022 and September 2024 and involved nine children aged roughly 10 to 16. They also say Ikharo was on federal supervised release after a 2023 conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material and that he was arrested in June 2025.
How investigators say he operated
Investigators say Ikharo often used the handle "Shaq" and sometimes pretended to be a minor, presenting himself as either a boy or a girl while messaging children. He allegedly sent what appeared to be filtered photos to build trust. Agents identified Call of Duty, Discord, PlayStation, Roblox, Steam and Twitch among the gaming platforms that were allegedly used, and say he also maintained accounts on iMessage, CashApp, Snapchat, TikTok, Venmo and X, according to CBS San Francisco.
FBI seeks other potential victims
In March, the FBI’s San Francisco Division released images that it said depicted his online persona and asked anyone who might have been contacted to come forward. The bureau created a dedicated information page listing usernames it believes are linked to the account, according to SFGATE. Authorities are urging potential victims and witnesses to save screenshots, chat logs and other records before contacting investigators.
Legal exposure and next steps
According to CBS San Francisco, the indictment was returned on Feb. 11 and Ikharo is scheduled to appear in federal court on July 30. Federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 2422 carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and allows for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for coercion and enticement of a minor, per the U.S. Code.
What parents should know
Parents and anyone else who believes they or a child in their care were contacted should preserve chat logs, screenshots, user IDs and any related digital records, then report tips to law enforcement. The FBI San Francisco field office accepts tips at (415) 553-7400 or via FBI San Francisco, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline is available through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
