David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have announced charges against Sean Sayer, a 22-year-old from Naugatuck. Sayer faces federal criminal charges related to child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 20, 2025, an eight-year-old boy in Oregon contacted Sayer via text message, asking if he was @fornight_legends on TikTok. Sayer confirmed his identity and over three days exchanged more than 1,300 messages with the minor victim. During these exchanges, Sayer allegedly demanded sexually explicit images and videos from the minor victim in exchange for playing Fortnite online. The minor victim reportedly sent at least 15 videos that are considered child sexual abuse material or child pornography.
Sayer was arrested on June 18, 2025. A preliminary forensic review of his cellphone reportedly uncovered screenshots of Snapchat conversations with numerous other minors whom Sayer allegedly coerced into sending sexually explicit photos.
Sayer appeared today for a bond hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven. He was released on a $150,000 bond into home detention with location monitoring and is prohibited from accessing the internet or having contact with minors.
The complaint includes charges such as production of child pornography—carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment—and coercion and enticement of a minor—carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment among others.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan emphasized that “a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.” Charges remain allegations until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
The investigation is being led by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force with assistance from the Eugene Police Department in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or to report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.justice.gov/psc or www.cybertipline.com.
