Phoenix-area man arrested for allegedly posing as teen girl online to sexually exploit 15-year-old

A 32-year-old Laveen man has been arrested after investigators accused him of pretending to be a teenage girl online to sexually exploit a 15-year-old boy. Nicholai Alexander Fitzgerald faces two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and unlawful age misrepresentation.

Fitzgerald was arrested July 22 at his home. Court records say he was already a registered sex offender on lifetime probation for a 2014 conviction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Investigators said the teen’s father contacted police in October 2025 after finding messages on his son’s phone. Authorities allege Fitzgerald used a dating site, text messages and Discord while posing as a 14-year-old girl named “Taylor.” After sending explicit images and building a romantic connection, the person allegedly persuaded the teen to send explicit images of himself.

Police said digital records linked the accounts and phone number to Fitzgerald’s home, workplace and registered contact information. During a search of his home, officers seized several phones and found handwritten notes that investigators said described posing as a girl online, seeking vulnerable victims and soliciting explicit images.

Court documents also say 10 people at the home were registered sex offenders with felony sexual offense histories. Fitzgerald was released from prison Aug. 3, 2024, and was on lifetime sex offender probation when the alleged offenses occurred. People who believe they may also be victims can contact the Scottsdale Police HEAT Unit at 480-312-3456 or SPDHEATTipline@scottsdaleaz.gov.