Yunlin: A part-time photographer has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for filming and sexually assaulting underage girls under the pretense of free photo sessions since 2016, the Yunlin District Court announced Thursday. The court revealed that the verdict against the man, identified by the surname Wu, was delivered on Wednesday and is subject to appeal.
According to Focus Taiwan, Wu met the underage girls through social media, dating apps, and cosplay photography events between 2016 and 2024. He lured them with the promise of free photo sessions, subsequently coercing them into sexual activity and recording explicit videos. The court disclosed that Wu victimized as many as 30 girls, several of whom were under the age of 14 or between 14 and 16 at the time of the offenses. Details on how Wu coerced the victims into sexual acts were not provided.
Yunlin prosecutors stated that Wu's home was searched in November 2024 as part of an investigation into his alleged activities. A seized hard drive revealed that Wu had meticulously organized files by subject and date into 944 folders, 436 of which contained videos of Wu engaging in sexual intercourse or indecent acts with different underage girls, amounting to 6,817 clips.
Wu was apprehended and detained in May 2025. By November, he faced indictment on multiple charges, including aggravated sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity or indecency with underage girls, secretly recording others' private parts, and child and youth sexual exploitation. The court emphasized that Wu exploited his role as a photographer to fulfill his sexual desires, causing lasting psychological harm to the victims and posing a serious threat to public safety and child protection.
During the trial, Wu confessed to the crimes and reached settlement agreements with several victims. The court underscored the gravity of Wu's offenses, concluding that they justified a severe sentence. Wu was convicted of 56 offenses, including child and youth sexual exploitation, culminating in a 21-year prison sentence.