Through an elaborate scheme on Snapchat, a 21-year-old Rancho Cucamonga man allegedly threatened to release nude photos of another user before luring her to a park where he raped her, authorities said Friday.
Glenn Martin Cranford Jr. was arrested Tuesday following an investigation into the reported extortion plan, in which authorities said he posed as two different people speaking to the same person, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials said Cranford has used at least four different user handles on Snapchat, and investigators believe he has targeted other victims.
On Feb. 3, the victim, whose age was not released by the sheriff’s department, received a message from someone using the handle @cam_ford20. The user said he would pay the victim for nude photos of herself, officials said. So she sent him some photos and a video.
But then @cam_ford20 refused to pay her and instead threatened to release the photos to people she knows through social media — unless she sent more images or met up with him, authorities said. She refused to do either.
Later that week, on Feb. 8, the victim got a message from another Snapchat user with the handle @martycranford, according to the sheriff’s department. He allegedly told her he could help her, saying he knew who @cam_ford20 was and could get the photos and video deleted.
However, police said, he asked to be paid and for them to meet. She agreed.
The following day, the victim drove from Long Beach to Sunflower Street in Rancho Cucamonga to meet with the user claiming he was going to help her.
According to authorities, he turned out to be 21-year-old Cranford.
When she arrived, Cranford got inside her vehicle through the front passenger side, officials said. He allegedly told her to drive to Heritage Park and park in a dirt lot.
“The victim agreed believing Cranford would help her get the photos and video deleted,” according to a news release from the sheriff’s department.
Instead, Cranford allegedly raped her.
He then demanded that she drive him back to Sunflower Street, authorities said. He allegedly told her later that he spoke with @cam_ford20, the person extorting her, and had the nude photos and video deleted.
But officials said that’s a lie.
Cranford was behind both usernames, using them to trick the victim into sending the explicit images and then assaulting her, according to authorities.
Police said he has also used the handles @jacobgibs2019 and @jenkins9131.
Cranford is being held on $250,000 bail at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino.
Authorities believe there could be other victims, and anyone with information is asked to reach the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Rancho Cucamonga Station at 909-477-2800.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the We-Tip Hotline at 800-782-7463 or visit wetip.com.
