Bexar County’s sheriff said there could be more victims in all three cases.
SAN ANTONIO — Three men are in custody after separate investigations by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office involving child victims, including one suspect accused of exchanging “pornographic material” with an undercover officer on the dark web.
That man, 47-year-old Cedric Wheeler, faces a charge of promotion of child pornography after the officer from another agency reported Wheeler, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar. Officials added Wheeler was out on bond after a summer arrest connected to allegations that he had sexually abused a child.
“In these areas of the dark web, these suspects, they trust each other,” Salazar said. “This is a lifestyle for them. They immerse themselves in this lifestyle and they trade this information with each other, they discuss their exploits with each other.”
BCSO also arrested 45-year-old Joel Garza after someone found and reported what appeared to be “inappropriate pictures of a young child” on his phone. According to an affidavit, “Joel admitted to taking the picture and stated there was no right excuse.”
Garza faces a charge of invasive visual recording of a child.
Meanwhile, Salazar said 57-year-old Eduardo Terrones Mora was arrested after a young girl reported that he exposed herself to her as she was walking home Wednesday afternoon in a far-west-side neighborhood off Talley Road.
“(She) saw a dark-colored car that appeared to be following her,” he said. “He got out of the car and began exposing his genitals to her.”
The girl fled, the sheriff added, and her parents contacted authorities. Sheriff’s deputies arrived to the area and were able to find Mora, who Salazar said matched the description provided by the victim.
Mora faces a third-degree felony charge of indecency with a child by exposure.
“So brazen,” Salazar said of the crime. “It was still daylight at the time. We’re thinking it’s a possibility there may be other victims or witnesses out there.”
Authorities urged anyone who believes they may have also been victimized by any of the three suspects to contact BCSO at (210) 335-6000 or bcsotips@bexar.org.