Sex offender from Texas accused of sending nude images to Missouri minor

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender from San Antonio, Texas, has been accused of sending nude images of himself to a child in Missouri.

Benito Tovar, 54, was charged on Thursday in Boone County with furnishing pornographic material to a minor. A court date has not been set. He was not listed on the Boone County Jail roster on Thursday afternoon.

The probable cause statement says that the mother of the victim reported to police on May 5, 2024, that her child received nude images of a man two days before. The user allegedly responded to the name “Benny” and provided personal information in a message exchange with the victim, court documents say.

Police searched his phone number on social media sites and found accounts listed under Tovar’s name, the statement says. Police called the number and Tovar was able to confirm his name, address, phone number and Social Security number, the statement says.

Tovar allegedly admitted to having a conversation with the victim, but claimed he thought they were an adult, court documents say.

The Texas sex offender registry indicates that he was found guilty of child sex crimes in 2003.