A Melbourne man accused of coercing three girls he met online to have sex with him has been remanded into custody.
John Raymond Zimmerman, 24, of Frankston, was charged on Wednesday with multiple sex offences involving two 14-year-old girls and one 13-year-old girl.
Police allege he contacted his victims through an internet social networking site and later coerced them into having sex with him.
Dressed in a white T-shirt and black jeans, Zimmerman fronted the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday when he appeared to turn his face away from court artists who were sketching him.
He did not apply for bail and was ordered to reappear in the same court on July 2.
He is charged with 16 counts each of rape and sexual penetration of a child under 16, five counts of stalking, three of indecent assault and one count of making a threat to kill and one count of procuring a child for the purposes of child pornography.
The offences allegedly occurred between June 2008 and October 2009.
Zimmerman, a salesman, was arrested at his workplace in Collingwood on Wednesday, an earlier out-of-sessions court was told that night.
The arrest followed a joint operation between Nunawading and sexual crimes squad detectives.
Detective Sergeant Craig Brien told the earlier hearing the accused had more than 8000 online contacts, including many young girls who police would now investigate.
Zimmerman had been in contact with his alleged victims since his arrest in November, he said.
Two other alleged victims have reported to police, who are now investigating their cases.
The bail justice refused bail, saying he "almost can't find the words to describe" the seriousness of the alleged offences.
Detectives have asked anyone who suspects they may have had contact with Zimmerman to come forward.
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John Raymond Zimmerman, 24, of Frankston, was charged on Wednesday with multiple sex offences involving two 14-year-old girls and one 13-year-old girl.
Police allege he contacted his victims through an internet social networking site and later coerced them into having sex with him.
Dressed in a white T-shirt and black jeans, Zimmerman fronted the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday when he appeared to turn his face away from court artists who were sketching him.
He did not apply for bail and was ordered to reappear in the same court on July 2.
He is charged with 16 counts each of rape and sexual penetration of a child under 16, five counts of stalking, three of indecent assault and one count of making a threat to kill and one count of procuring a child for the purposes of child pornography.
The offences allegedly occurred between June 2008 and October 2009.
Zimmerman, a salesman, was arrested at his workplace in Collingwood on Wednesday, an earlier out-of-sessions court was told that night.
The arrest followed a joint operation between Nunawading and sexual crimes squad detectives.
Detective Sergeant Craig Brien told the earlier hearing the accused had more than 8000 online contacts, including many young girls who police would now investigate.
Zimmerman had been in contact with his alleged victims since his arrest in November, he said.
Two other alleged victims have reported to police, who are now investigating their cases.
The bail justice refused bail, saying he "almost can't find the words to describe" the seriousness of the alleged offences.
Detectives have asked anyone who suspects they may have had contact with Zimmerman to come forward.
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