A Palmdale man has been arrested on federal child exploitation charges, officials announced Thursday.
Kenneth Mellor, 20, was arrested Wednesday without incident in Conemaugh, Pennsylvania, according to the FBI.
The investigation began in October 2025 after a concerned citizen reported that Mellor was allegedly extorting a minor for illicit images and had claimed to be in a relationship with a 12-year-old girl, authorities said.
Following the report, the FBI executed federal search warrants at Mellor’s home and seized multiple digital devices.
The complaint alleges that a forensic review of the devices uncovered extensive evidence of Mellor communicating with numerous suspected minor victims. Investigators have so far identified nearly a dozen confirmed minor victims, with more than 10 additional victims yet to be identified, according to the FBI.
Investigators also learned that Mellor used threats, intimidation, and emotional manipulation to coerce minors into complying with his demands, they said. In at least one instance, Mellor’s conduct contributed to a minor attempting self-harm, agents said.
The complaint further alleges that Mellor frequently attempted to befriend and groom girls between the ages of 9 and 17 on a variety of online platforms by misrepresenting his age. He used multiple online aliases to contact minors through social media apps and gaming platforms including Roblox, Discord, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, WePlay and others, court papers allege.
The FBI is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying additional potential victims. Anyone who believes they may have information related to the case is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.