Gresham man, 21, is accused of flying to Connecticut to have sex with a minor after harassing her on social media

A 21-year-old Gresham man is accused of traveling from Oregon to Connecticut in June to have sex with a 14-year-old girl after he began communicating with the girl when she was 12 years old Snapchat, TikTok and text messages, prosecutors allege.

Canyon Beasley flew to Connecticut on June 12, rented an Airbnb and videotaped the sex he had with the girl, an FBI agent wrote A federal affidavit was unsealed Monday.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman of Oregon denied Beasley's release to his father's home ahead of his scheduled appearance in federal court in Connecticut. The judge said she was concerned about the nature of the alleged crime and the potential harm to other young people.

The risk is “too great” that Beasley could continue to reach out to other minors, Beckerman said.

According to the FBI, the girl's father in Connecticut contacted the FBI and Connecticut State Police after learning of his daughter's contact and online communications with Beasley from her friends.

Police searched the girl's phone and found sexually explicit images Beasley had sent her, including graphic messages that suggested Beasley knew the girl's young age, the affidavit said. In a message sent via Snapchat in March, he is accused of writing, among other things: “I don't care if you're 13.”

In another message, he threatened to “kill” the girl if she ignored him, the affidavit said.

When interviewed by the FBI, the Connecticut girl said she thought it was normal to send nude photos of herself because she believed she was in a relationship.

A search of Beasley's Snapchat account revealed approximately 39 images and videos of child sexual abuse, According to the FBI, these include explicit images and videos of the girl from Connecticut.

After the girl's father alerted the FBI on June 18, the girl apparently told Beasley about the federal investigation, according to prosecutors.

Two days later, Beasley texted her on Snapchat: “Please don't let him do this, please… We're both going to be in big trouble.” “They kill people like me in prison because they don't understand,” the affidavit says .

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rochat argued against Beasley's release pending trial, saying she was concerned about witness tampering. Assistant Federal Defender Julie Pitt Vandiver had argued for Beasley's release, saying he could live with his father, work in his father's business and otherwise be placed on house arrest.

Beasley is being transported by the U.S. Marshal's Service to appear in federal court in New Haven on charges of producing and possessing child sexual abuse images, receiving child sexual abuse images and traveling to have sex with a to have minors.

– Maxine Bernstein covers federal courts and criminal justice. Reach her at 503-221-8212, [email protected], follow her on X @maxoregonianor on LinkedIn.

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