Man Posed as Teen on Wink App to Have Sex With 12-Year-Old Girl: Sheriff

A Florida man, 29, was arrested after driving to meet up with a 12-year-old girl whom he had sexually abused before, authorities said, adding that the adult connected with the minor on the Wink social media app.

Brandon Keith Donato, of Cocoa Beach, Florida, was arrested shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday after chatting with an undercover Volusia County Sheriff's Office detective who he believed was the 12-year-old girl he had already met for sex on two separate occasions after meeting on Wink, the sheriff's office said in an online statement that was shared Sunday morning along with body-cam footage of Donato's arrest.

Wink, a social networking app popular among children, works with Snapchat to show users Snap profiles based on mutual interests. While the "friendship app" has been described as "Tinder for teens," Wink's website specifically states it is for adults and not intended for dating, saying: "We are not a dating app. Our mission is to provide a fun and safe space for everyone to make friends."

Newsweek reached out via email on Monday to Wink representatives and to the Volusia sheriff's office.

Donato faces a series of charges, including two counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a child; showing obscene material to a minor; promoting the sexual performance of a child; using a computer to solicit a child; traveling to meet after using a computer to solicit a child; and unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, the sheriff's office said. He was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail with a bond of $350,000.

Volusia County deputies learned about the case on Friday evening when the victim's family found out she had shared videos on her phone that showed her having sex with an unknown man, the sheriff's office said. The girl told investigators that the male's name was Brandon Smith, a 17-year-old she met on the Wink mobile app and continued to chat with on Instagram.

By using the suspect's contact information and social media profiles, analysts at the Volusia County Crime Center were able to identify him as Donato, authorities said. Donato's vehicle tag was caught by license plate readers in Volusia County in the early morning hours on July 10 and July 12. The girl told police that she met with him to have sex on both dates.

In addition to the videos, the sheriff's office said detectives reviewed the 12-year-old's phone and discovered an "ongoing series of sexually explicit messages and descriptions of what they'd done" in reference to the 29-year-old man and preteen. Authorities said the conversations showed Donato was interested in meeting up with the girl again.

On Saturday, a detective posed as the 12-year-old girl and took over the conversation with Donato, setting up a meeting in Deltona, Florida, where multiple law enforcement officers were waiting to take him into custody as soon as he arrived, the sheriff's office said.

Child safety organization Thorn found that 22 percent of minors from ages 9 to 17 reported having online sexual interactions with adults—the same percentage of children who reported having sexual interactions with peers their own age, according to a study conducted in 2021 and published this year.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood urged parents whose children have internet access, especially those kids with mobile devices, to closely monitor their activity.

"Thanks to the quick work of everyone involved in this case, there's one less predator out there exploiting the same apps our kids use," Chitwood said in the statement. "Unfortunately, there are many more waiting for their own opportunity. Everyone should take the time and make the effort to protect our kids from predators who want to steal their childhood."

Chitwood, in a Monday evening Facebook post, lashed out at the popular social media platform on his public Facebook page, saying Wink shutting down would be "good news."

"If Wink is truly shutting down, that's good news for parents and kids," the sheriff said. "I don't know who thought it was a good idea to give predators an app that lets them pick exactly what age girls and boys they want to meet. You'd think the developers of these apps targeting children would have a conscience. Unfortunately there will always be another Wink out there. Our Volusia Sheriff's Office detectives and staff will be hosting a series of forums for parents, grandparents and guardians to learn about these apps and other dangers. Schedule and more details coming soon."