NORTH PORT, Fla. — North Port Police have uncovered a parent's nightmare, after 45-year-old Shane Penczak sexually exploited a young boy through Discord.
But North Port Police Public Information Officer, Josh Taylor, says Penczak didn't stop there.
“He then began to blackmail the child into doing other despicable acts. So we have all of that documented, we have all the evidence that we need, and that’s why he’s in jail," Taylor says.
But Taylor says there are things that parents can and should do to make sure that this sort of thing never happens to their own child.
“There are certainly a plethora of opportunities and options out there to keep an eye on what your kids are doing. There are programs that will basically feed you what is taking place.”
Fox 4 spoke with Lee Bradwell, who is an avid gamer based in Cape Coral. He says he's seen some good out of these messaging services, but that parents still need to be aware of who their kids are talking to.
“I met my wife online in a game which to me has brought me to Florida, and I will never say a bad thing about that, but obviously when you hear stories like this then you know there’s two sides to every story," says Bradwell.
Penczak is currently being held in the Sarasota County Jail on no bond.
The following links contain helpful tips and information relating to protecting your children from online predators:
