CRIME
ABC7 Exclusive: How a Danish detective, Va. ICE agent, ABC7, Va. child advocate catch a child sex suspect
We told you earlier this week that ABC7 Facebook fans helped catch a child sex suspect on the other side of the country.
The Danish police detective who found the disturbing video of the suspect happens to be visiting the D.C. area.
He spoke to ABC7's Pamela Brown who traces how the alleged predator was nabbed from beginning to end.
The arrest of this suspected child molester traces all the way back to Danish National Police Detective Mads Nielsen.
"On Monday I got the great news this case has been solved," Nielsen says. "A case that originally we found on the closed areas of the network."
From his computer in Denmark, Nielsen discovered a child porn video of a man molesting a young boy.
But the images offered few clues. Nielsen was only able to determine the suspect lived either in the U.S. or Canada
He contacted Homeland Security Investigations special agent Jim Cole in Fairfax who immediately began analyzing the video.
But the case was going nowhere fast, so investigators reached out to ABC7.
The ABC7 exclusive report last Thursday quickly spread on Facebook and caught the eye of a Northern Virginia child welfare advocate. He used his special training to sift through social media sites until he identified the suspect's MySpace page.
The suspect was then tracked to Stockton, California.
Two days after ABC7's report, authorities had their suspect in handcuffs, Timothy Valdez, 36.
ICE Director John Morton says if every piece of this puzzle hadn't fallen precisely into place, the alleged child molester would still be out there.
The anonymous local tipster says in a statement "When I came across the social networking profile, I felt my head start to spin and then it felt like my heart dropped into my stomach. I knew i had to report what I had discovered to authorities immediately."
Valdez has confessed to being in the video. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Officials remind anyone with information on any case related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to contact them at 1 (866) DHS-2ICE.
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