When last January 24 the National Police agents broke into the Madrid home of José Hernán A. - one of the members of the duo of influencers called Petazetaz - they had in hand a judicial arrest and search warrant for various crimes of aggression sexual Thanks to the inquiries, they suspected that the two content creators used their influence on social networks to capture teenagers whom they drug with the aim of sexually assaulting them. In that access to the home, the surprise of the uniformed officers was great when they found another minor who was being victimized by what other girls had reported, according to police sources in La Vanguardia.
It is not an isolated case, explains the National Police. This body is concerned about the "trickle down of similar cases" in recent times. And, above all, because of the special vulnerability of the victims. In these cases, it is the minors themselves who contact their future aggressors through social networks, attracted by their popularity and without assessing the risk they face. Victims often do not report the events until the forces and security bodies contact them. A fact that, according to the police, reinforces the idea of the need to alert the public to demand public cooperation.
The investigation began in December. A young woman reported to the Alcalá de Henares police station that two men with a large number of followers on social networks were abusing minors in a home in Vallecas, east of Madrid. Those mentioned, and Iván G., aged 34 and 22, call themselves Petazetaz. Instagram had 40,000 followers when the news broke yesterday – a figure that rose as the hours passed – and 30,000 on TikTok. They define themselves as "a quirky little duo" and their videos aim to be humorous. All the content is public: they have not closed the channels despite being arrested and, since yesterday, they are gaining followers.
After receiving the first complaint, the investigators who make up Group XXII of the Family and Women's Care Unit (UFAM) identified four possible victims, all minors. According to sources close to the investigations, all four girls admitted to the officers that they had been victims, but admitted that they had not previously reported the events, some out of shame and others out of fear.
They went to the home of the older detainee, attracted by the duo's popularity. The same sources point out that there are neither threats nor coercion prior to the meetings. When they were at the scene, the arrestees supplied the victims with GHB – known as a shot or bote –, a powerful central nervous system depressant that when mixed with soda or juice is practically undetectable by taste. Administered with a stick, to calculate the dose, it produces euphoria and a feeling of well-being. This drug makes consumers "bend" or "overturn"; which is nothing more than losing consciousness. And when the victims unwittingly crossed that line, they were allegedly raped.
Other times the influencers forced the minors to perform sexual practices as a payment currency for the narcotic substances that had previously been offered to them for free.
There are videos that would prove sexual assaults. The detainees recorded the abuse with their mobile phones and several security cameras. The agents have found images spread by messaging services without the victim being aware of them.
José Hernán A. was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of two crimes of sexual assault, one crime of rape, exhibitionism, child pornography and five crimes against public health. He had a history of crimes against public health, according to the same sources. After going to judicial disposal, the instructor of the case decreed his entry into provisional prison, but yesterday he was already free thanks to an appeal presented by his lawyer. It will remain so, in principle until the trial takes place.
However, Iván G. is charged with a crime of sexual assault. He is also at large.
