U.S. Airman Held Without Bail on Federal Child Exploitation Charges
David Ibarra, 31, allegedly posed as a teen to coerce a 9-year-old girl into sharing explicit material, using online platforms and financial inducements.
- David Ibarra, an active-duty U.S. Air Force member, was arraigned in federal court in New York on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, coercion, and enticement.
- Prosecutors allege Ibarra posed as a 13-year-old boy and used TikTok and Roblox to initiate contact with the 9-year-old victim before moving to text messages.
- Ibarra reportedly paid the victim $191 through 17 Apple Pay transactions to induce her to produce and share explicit images and videos, which he directed her to create.
- The FBI launched an investigation after the victim’s father discovered the interactions and contacted local police, leading to Ibarra’s arrest in Alaska in February 2025.
- If convicted, Ibarra faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison under the DOJ’s Project Safe Childhood initiative.
New York Post 
U.S. Department of Justice 
People 