MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A 17-year-old boy arrested in Marion County has been charged as an adult, accused of sexually exploiting children whom he would search for on the video game Roblox, according to the sheriff’s office.
Christian Scribben was initially arrested April 16, when the Ocala Police Department’s SWAT team helped execute a search warrant at his home along 40th Avenue Road, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Facing charges of directing a sexual performance by a child, utilizing a computer to solicit a child while misrepresenting age and unlawful use of a two-way communications device, Scribben was being held without bond at the Marion County Jail, according to the statement.
[See how the state is tackling the way Roblox is marketing to kids in the video below]
The sheriff’s office on Feb. 28 received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Roblox user in Marion County was “directing children to molest their younger siblings and produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM)” on the popular online game, the statement reads.
While the search warrant was being executed — during which several of Scribben’s devices were collected — the 17-year-old provided user information that confirmed he was the owner of the account referenced in the tip, according to the sheriff’s office.
Scribben allegedly admitted to “proactively searching for children on Roblox daily, whom he would instruct to engage in sexual activity with their siblings and create CSAM,” the sheriff’s office said, adding “he has done this to four or five children a day, every day for the past year.”
After establishing a connection on Roblox, he would move the conversation to either Discord or text messaging. Scribben advised that most of the CSAM he demanded was used for sexual gratification. However, in one specific instance, he just wanted proof that the sexual abuse was actually occurring as he directed. Scribben went on to admit that he would misrepresent his age to appear more “acceptable” to young children, and that he has done this to four or five children a day, every day for the past year. Further investigation to identify the victims in this case is ongoing.
Marion County Sheriff's Office, April 30, 2025, "17-YEAR-OLD ARRESTED FOR EXPLOITING CHILDREN ON ROBLOX" (excerpt)
The same day as Scribben’s April 16 arrest, it was announced Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier had issued a subpoena to Roblox for information about how it markets to children, citing multiple reports of children being exposed to “graphic or harmful material” while using the game.
“There are concerning reports that this gaming platform, which is popular among children, is exposing them to harmful content and bad actors. We are issuing a subpoena to Roblox to uncover how this platform is marketing to children and to see what policies they are implementing — if any — to avoid interactions with predators,” Uthmeier‘s office said in a news release. “(...) In 2024, Roblox had more than 85 million daily active users, an estimated 40% of whom being under the age of 13.”
Marion County detectives, believing that there may be other victims, urged anyone with information to contact Detective Osthed at 352-351-4710.
News 6 is naming and showing Scribben due to the circumstances of the case.