Teen Arrested After Making Instagram Threats Of Violence, Sexual Assault

A Shasta County teenager has been arrested for allegedly harassing and threatening to sexually assault and kill girls at a youth shelter in El Dorado County. Placerville Police were called to the shelter last month and shown explicit images and videos that had been sent. They were followed by threatening pictures and videos, apparently showing 19-year-old Ryan Byers holding guns and saying he was going to come to the shelter to sexually assault and shoot girls. The communications were all sent through Byers’ Instagram account. Detectives traveled to Shasta County with warrants to arrest Byers and search his home. They did so with the help of the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. Numerous guns, magazines and ammunition were seized from Byers’ home. He’s being held on $100,000 bail on charges including criminal threats and stalking.