NC man charged with kidnap, rape of Maryland girl, 12

RALEIGH -- A Raleigh man faces multiple charges in the disappearance of a 12-year-old Maryland girl who was found last week.

Officials say 32-year-old Victor Yanez Arroyo, of Raleigh, was arrested late Friday and charged with kidnapping and first-degree rape.

The sixth-grader was last seen last Tuesday morning when she left for school.

Investigators have said that she might have communicated with Arroyo through the girl's X-Box or iPod.

A digital forensics expert said this could prove how children playing with electronics can turn into a dangerous game.

"It's a sad situation and it's not uncommon. That's the sad thing," said Giovanni Masucci, a digital forensics data recovery expert.

Masucci said he has seen it before -- naive and digitally connected tweens at risk for compromising encounters online.

"The more social networking grows and the ease of access that there is, the more issues that there are going to be like this out there," he said. "Kids talk on those [X-Boxes and iPods]. They don't know who's on the other end. It could be an adult pretending to be a child."

Authorities reportedly said the girl had a history of communicating with men on social media through email, texting, and apps. They are all electronics that Masucci said parents need to monitor or prohibit younger children from using.

"Why would you buy a 5-year-old a gaming unit that has Internet access to it, or a cell phone or smart phone? I see this with parents and I cringe," said Masucci.

Arroyo also was charged with a probation violation in connection with a 2007 conviction for assault on a female.