Arizona man arrested on child sexual exploitation charges

An Arizona man was arrested Monday morning on child sexual exploitation charges, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.

David Cruz, 40, of Kingman, was arrested one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, all felonies, the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

Cruz met a 16-year-old from Arkansas through social media and communicated through video chat, phone calls and text messages. During their one-year relationship, Cruz requested and received nude photos and videos of the child, the statement said.

Cruz admitted to his involvement during an interview with detectives.

After his arrest, the Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Cruz’s residence, where electronic devices were seized and will be analyzed for additional evidence.

As part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Sheriff’s Office reminds parents to monitor their children’s social media usage.

“The internet can be a wonderful tool, but it can also be a path for offenders to gain access to your children,” the statement said. “It is recommended that parents limit their child’s social media presence, as well as maintain constant communication about the hazards of communicating with anyone online.”

Contact Jannelle Calderon at jcalderon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @NewsyJan on Twitter.