23-year-old Abraham Carranza-Estrada was arrested Sept. 17 for sexually assaulting a child he met online.

After a “lengthy” investigation, Fort Collins Police Services arrested the Fort Collins resident for sexually assaulting a child he met on social media, according to a press release from the city of Fort Collins.

Carranza-Estrada was arrested and charged for “sexual assault on a child (class 4 felony), enticement of a child (class 4 felony), and sexual exploitation of a child (class 5 felony),” according to the release. 

He has been booked into the Larimer County Jail. 

The victim was visiting family in April when she met Carranza-Estrada through social media, according to the press release.

“(Carranza-Estrada) arranged to meet the victim in person on several occasions and sexually assaulted her,” the release said.

The press release also said, “Carranza-Estrada also convinced the victim to send him sexually explicit photos.” 

“Unfortunately, we investigate a lot of cases that start with social media,” said Sergeant Heather Moore, lead of the Crimes Against Persons Unit. “Sexual predators often use grooming behaviors to earn trust, create a false sense of intimacy then engage in damaging acts with long-term impacts.”

According to the press release, investigators are worried additional victims may exist.

FCPS encourages anyone who has not yet spoken to police to contact Detective Laura Knudsen at 970-416-2771 or Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org.

Ceci Taylor can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @cecelia_twt.