US man sent Kiwi girl, 9, sex photos during chat sessions

Florida newspaper the <i>Ledger</i> reported that the investigation into Fenstermaker began in June. Photo / Thinkstock

A 9-year-old New Zealand girl was sent sexually explicit photographs of a Florida man whom she had been chatting with on a social networking website.

On Friday, the FBI arrested Max Lee Fenstermaker, 56, from Winter Haven, and charged him with five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor, six of using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony and one count of transmission of harmful material to a minor.

Florida newspaper the Ledger reported that the investigation into Fenstermaker began in June when New Zealand police contacted the FBI's violent crimes against children task force.

They told the FBI a man who called himself Mac and lived in Florida had been inappropriately chatting with a young girl for three months before her father became aware of it.

Local police and FBI investigators tracked "Mac" down and established he was actually Fenstermaker.

The Ledger reported that Fenstermaker was in contact with the 9-year-old from January to March and sent her explicit photos of himself while they communicated through a social media app called LINK.

He allegedly learned of her age in early March and in an online conversation told the girl she was "beautiful for only 9 years old".