Ep 6. Svengali

In Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 9 episode 6, titled "Svengali," the SVU detectives investigate the alleged kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl named Heather. Heather's mother reports that her daughter was taken from a parking lot by a man claiming to be a music producer. As the detectives dig deeper into the case, they discover that Heather had been communicating with the man online for several weeks prior to the abduction.

The team quickly identifies the suspect as a man named Derek, who has an extensive history of grooming and manipulating young girls into performing sexual acts on camera. Derek has been using his online persona as a music producer to lure vulnerable teenagers into his web.

As the detectives work to build a case against Derek, they encounter numerous obstacles. Many of the girls he's preyed upon are too afraid to come forward, and others deny any wrongdoing on Derek's part. Meanwhile, Derek's lawyer argues that his client's actions were consensual and that he never physically forced anyone to do anything.

Just as it seems that Derek might slip through the cracks, the detectives receive a breakthrough in the case. Heather is found alive and safe in Derek's apartment, and she reveals that he had been holding her against her will. With this new information, the team is able to bring Derek to justice and help the other victims he had previously preyed upon.

Throughout the episode, the detectives also grapple with their own personal demons. Benson struggles with the guilt she feels over not being able to prevent Heather's kidnapping, and Stabler confronts his own biases and prejudices when it comes to his daughter's use of social media. The episode ends with the team reflecting on the impact that technology has had on the way predators like Derek are able to exploit and manipulate their victims.