FBI Seeks Potential Victims in San Diego After Man Faces Child Porn Charges
The FBI and ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) are working together to identify potential victims in San Diego following the arrest of a 49-year-old man for the production of child pornography. Eric Jacob Layton, a resident of University City, allegedly posed as a doctor, a sportswriter, and a modeling recruiter in order to target underage victims for sexually explicit content between March 2023 and April 2023.
According to the FBI, Layton used various aliases, including a sports therapist named Travis Parkin and a sports physician named Dr. Alexis Iniesta, to facilitate multiple massages involving minors. The FBI believes that Layton targeted many of his victims through their involvement in youth sports and has identified several more victims since his arrest.
On July 6th, FBI agents and the ICAC task force executed a federal search warrant at Layton’s home on Panel Court, leading to his initial arrest. He was charged with contacting minors to engage in sexual activities and was held at the San Diego County Jail on a $275,000 bond. However, Layton was released on bond the next day and scheduled for a hearing on July 17th.
Surprisingly, on July 10th, Layton was arrested a second time at his residence, this time on federal charges related to allegedly soliciting inappropriate photos from youth in Florida. At the time of his arrest, Layton was found with his infant son. The investigation began in early April 2023 when the Plantation Police Department in Broward County, Florida, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Cyber Tipline received a report about a 15-year-old boy being solicited for child sexual abuse material online. The accounts used to contact the minor were traced back to Layton’s San Diego home.
In a federal complaint released by the FBI, it was revealed that Layton had previously used the name Eric Leighton Abrams and had legally changed his name in 2021. In 1999, Abrams was sentenced to two years in prison for false imprisonment and annoying or molesting a child charges after posing as a Nike representative and luring a boy to his house under false pretenses. He had also previously impersonated a police officer in order to entice a 13-year-old boy into his car.
Layton is currently in federal custody awaiting extradition to Florida. The FBI is urging anyone with information regarding suspicious contact with Layton to reach out via email at laytoninvestigation@fbi.gov.
The FBI and ICAC’s efforts to identify potential victims in San Diego highlight the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in combating child exploitation crimes. Their ongoing investigation and search for more victims serve as a reminder to parents and guardians to remain vigilant and educate their children about online safety.
