Bakersfield Man Arrested for Sex Crimes Involving Several Juveniles

A Bakersfield man has been arrested on suspicion of sex-related offenses with at least three juvenile victims.

Walter Gray Jr., 20, was taken into custody around 11 a.m. Friday after a warrant was served in the 300 block of Madison Street. Bakersfield police say Gray was being held on $150,000 bail and is scheduled for a court hearing Tuesday.

Police say there are potential unidentified victims.

KGET-TV reports an investigation began in September involving an underage victim of “sextortion.” A news release indicates other victims were identified and says police established Gray lives in Bakersfield. The identified victims are local.

The FBI defines sextortion as when an adult contacts a juvenile “on any site, app, messaging platform, or game” and convinces them to send sexually explicit photos or video, then threatens to make the material public if the victim doesn’t send more sexually explicit material or pay them.

Police are asking sextortion victims of Gray to call Detective Chad Ott at 661-326-3871 or the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.

-Posted by Jeff Lemucchi