Two Men Charged with Exploiting Minors via Social Media Platforms

• •Shadow Hawk Mallan faces multiple federal charges for exploiting minors online.
• •Francisco Mariano Orantes pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting minors via social media.
• •Both cases illustrate significant risks of child exploitation on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram.

Two individuals, Shadow Hawk Mallan from Minnesota and Francisco Mariano Orantes from Sacramento, face federal charges for sexually exploiting minors through social media. Mallan, 28, is charged with multiple counts, including production of child pornography, using platforms like Snapchat and Discord to solicit explicit content from minors globally. Law enforcement has identified 13 victims but believes hundreds more may be affected. Orantes, 33, pleaded guilty to exploiting at least seven minors on Snapchat and Instagram, posing as a teenage girl to gain trust. He faces a minimum of 15 years in prison after investigators found over 11,000 images and 14,000 videos of child sexual abuse material on his devices. Both cases highlight the ongoing risks associated with social media exploitation of children.