Authorities are in the process of identifying multiple minors who a 63-year-old man allegedly sedated and sexually assaulted in Franklin, Tennessee.
Camilo Hurtado Campos, described by officials as a “well-liked soccer coach,” is currently in custody on charges of Child Rape and Minor Sexual Exploitation, as per the statement released by the police on Sunday. They anticipate additional charges to be filed in this case.
FRANKLIN, TN: โA soccer coach is accused of drugging & raping children and recording videos… recorded himself raping unconscious boys between the ages of 9 and 17 over the course of 20 years, Many of the victims were Hispanicโฆโ https://t.co/xr9wF3SJn5
โ The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) July 9, 2024
The investigation began when a local eatery informed the police about a mobile phone left behind by a patron, later identified as Campos.
Employees, while attempting to identify the owner to return the phone, discovered numerous videos and images of minors, according to the police.
“Following an immediate and exhaustive investigation, detectives uncovered hundreds of unsettling videos and images on the phone. In many of these, Campos can be seen sexually assaulting unconscious boys aged approximately between 9 and 17,” the statement revealed.
Campos, a resident of the area for two decades, often visited playgrounds to scout children for his soccer team. He allegedly used this trust to invite some of them to his home, where he is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting them.
“Recordings of the sexual assault of at least 10 children have been found on Campos’s phone to date. Collaborating with local schools, detectives have identified two of his victims. They hope that those who know Campos can assist in identifying the remaining victims,” the police stated.
When NBC News showed Campos’s photo to locals, one man recalled, “He used to invite us when we were younger, but we never joined him.”
Residents also informed the news outlet that Campos used to reside in a housing unit situated between two schools and opposite soccer fields.
The press release also mentioned that the children in the recordings might have been so unconscious that they may not even realize they were victims, as per investigators.
The police are now urging anyone with information about the suspect to reach out to them at (615) 794-2513.
As stated on the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) website, “Child sexual abuse constitutes any sexual activity with a minor. A child cannot give consent to any form of sexual activity, without exception.”
Furthermore, “Child sexual abuse and exploitation deprive victims of their childhood, causing irreversible damage to their emotional and psychological growth,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs website.
This is not the first time that Tennessee has experienced such brutal crime, two months ago a 9-year-old girl lost her life after her younger brother accidentally shot her. Read more.
