Ex-Californian pleads guilty in child mutilation-sex scheme

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say a former Southern California man who convinced troubled girls as young as 12 to perform masochistic acts and urged one to become his sex slave has pleaded guilty to a federal sexual exploitation charge. Prosecutors say Matthew Locher pleaded guilty Monday. Prosecutors say Locher was living in Redondo Beach when he got into online conversations targeting girls suffering from mental health issues, such as depression, anorexia and suicidal thoughts. Authorities say he groomed them to engage in self-mutilation and send him images. Authorities say that encouraged by Locher, another 12-year-old girl ran away from her Ohio home after setting it on fire in a failed bid to kill her parents.