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Winona man sentenced in sextortion scheme that targeted 60+ girls

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Published  February 10, 2025 5:45pm CST
Minnesota
FOX 9

The Brief

    • A Winona man was sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to a large sextortion scheme.
    • Prosecutors say 60 young girls, mostly between the ages of 9 and 12, were victimized by Valentin Silva Quintana.

WINONA, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Winona man accused of victimizing more than 60 young girls in a sextortion scheme learned his fate last week.

Winona man sentenced in sextortion scheme

What we know:

Valentin Silva Quintana. 31, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty in the case.

The backstory:

Prosecutors say, between April 2022 and June 2023, Quintana used apps like Snapchat and Instagram to "sexually manipulate and exploit more than 60 young girls" who were mostly between the ages of 9 and 12.

Authorities say Quintana posed as a minor girl, and sometimes befriended or offered the victims money to get them to send explicit photos or videos of themselves.

Once they had sent one photo, Quintana would threaten to send the photo or video to friends or family, unless the girls send further explicit content.

MinnesotaCrime and Public Safety