Ventura Police Department – Incident Press Release
Ventura Police Detectives received a tip from Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) and a tip from National Center for Missing and exploited Children (NCMEC) that a 14-year-old Male had requested help as he was being pressured into sending photos to a subject on Instagram.
On 3/30/2020, a detective from SVU contacted the Juvenile and learned that a subject with a female profile contacted the Juvenile and sent him nude photos of a female. The subject with the female profile was later identified to be Travis Whitfield (09/22/97). Under the fraudulent female profile, Whitfield asked for nude photos from the Juvenile. The Juvenile sent a nude photo to Whitfield. Whitfield asked for more pictures, and if the Juvenile did not send photos, Whitfield would send the first photo out on the internet. The Juvenile tried to get out from sending more photos to Whitfield but feared his photo was going to be sent out to friends and family. Prior to sending Whitfield more photos the Juvenile asked for help from Instagram, ICAC, and NCMEC.
During the investigation, detectives learned through search warrants that several Juveniles were contacted by Whitfield starting in 2018. Detectives also learned Whitfield was conspiring with another subject who also lived in Oxnard. Both subjects were exchanging juvenile photos and sharing ideas on how to get juveniles to share nude photos of themselves. Oxnard Police Department was contacted and took over the investigation on the second suspect, who was later arrested on 4/8/2020.
On 4/6/2020, SVU, FBI, VCDA Investigators, and a VPD K-9 unit served a search warrant at Whitfield’s residence and recovered several pieces of evidence. Whitfield was arrested during the search warrant service and later booked at VCJ for 288.3(a)PC / Contacting minors for a sexual purpose, 182(a)(1)PC / Conspiracy, 136(b)(1)PC / Dissuading a victim, 311.1PC / Possession of child pornography, and 311.2(d)PC/ Possession of Child Pornography with intent to distribute. Whitfield’s bail was set at one million.
Follow up into this case is still ongoing as we know there are many victims that we have not contacted. If Whitfield has contacted, you or your child under the Instagram name “Devon Bay” or the Instagram username “Devon.Bxy” please contact Detective Alyse Quiroz of the Ventura Police Department at 805-339- 4413.
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I’m sure these individuals could have found better things to do. Drain the swamp !!