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Catalan Police Uncover Expanding Child Exploitation Network in Barcelona

Investigators have identified 16 suspects and over a dozen victims, as judicial proceedings target sexual assault, child pornography, and drug facilitation charges.

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Los Mossos desarticulan una trama de pederastas que captaban a menores en las redes sociales
Detención de uno de los integrantes de la red de pederastia desmantelada en Barcelona en 2024

Overview

  • Teófilo Lapeña Martínez, the network's ringleader, faces 107 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old ward of the Generalitat and offering her to other men.
  • The case involves 16 suspects, most of whom were ordinary men with stable jobs and families, and at least 14 victims, including minors coerced through drugs and alcohol.
  • Investigators dismantled the network using evidence from a WhatsApp group managed by Lapeña, which contained incriminating images, videos, and contacts.
  • Three separate judicial cases are ongoing, addressing sexual assaults, child pornography production, and public health offenses for supplying drugs to minors.
  • Digital forensics are ongoing, with prosecutors seeking extended investigations and additional charges as more evidence emerges from seized devices.