Eilat Police Arrest 18-Year-Old Suspect in Major Child Sexual Abuse Probe

A mother walked into the police station in Eilat in deep distress to file a complaint after discovering that an 18-year-old local resident was blackmailing her son. According to the mother, the suspect demanded that her son sell him his mobile phone at a discount, threatening to publish intimate photographs of the boy if he refused. When the mother pressed for details, the boy revealed that the older teenager had forced him into sexual acts and filmed them without his consent, despite knowing the victim has special needs.

Investigation and Digital Evidence

Investigators at the Eilat police station launched an intensive probe into the matter. Detective Efrat Ben Ami and cyber technology investigator Liron Levy examined the suspect's phone and communications. "We retrieved correspondence via TikTok and WhatsApp with his contacts," Levy stated. "That is how I found all the children he targeted." Investigators described the digital content as extremely explicit and disturbing, detailing systematic grooming and exploitation of minors ranging from 7 to 14 years old over a period of six months.

Confession and Prosecution

As the investigation widened under the leadership of senior investigator Ram Pitousi and youth investigator Yarin Barmi, police gathered testimonies from 13 victims, their parents, and school educators. Confronted with mounting digital evidence, the suspect eventually confessed to extensive abuses, including rape and forced acts involving multiple minors. The Southern District Prosecutor's Office filed a severe indictment against the suspect, charging him with numerous counts of aggravated sexual offenses against minors, blackmail, extortion, and exploiting vulnerable individuals.