15- to 30-year-old male victims sexually assaulted via Snapchat fake profiles leading to 54 charges against teacher
Summary
A 22-year-old male reported being sexually assaulted by Markus Hicks, a high school teacher and volleyball coach in Newfoundland, after believing he was engaging with a female online via Snapchat. Hicks used fake Snapchat profiles, including one named “BellaRicci4,” to lure male victims, including teenagers and young adults, into sexual encounters. The assaults occurred in Hicks’ home, where a curtain in the basement concealed him from victims who believed they were meeting a female. Police discovered evidence of at least 24 fake online identities and child sexual abuse material on Hicks’ devices. Hicks pleaded guilty to 54 charges, including sexual assault, child pornography, and identity fraud, in June 2024 as part of a plea deal. The victims, aged 15 to 30, all believed they were interacting with a female and would not have consented to the encounters if they had known the truth.
Incident Details
Harms involving the exploitation, abuse, or endangerment of minors, including CSAM and grooming.
Sources
1This incident is documented by a single source. Source count reflects coverage in our monitored feeds, not the totality of reporting, and we do not evaluate publication quality.