Sextortion might be a new term you have probably never heard of, but it has already victimized several teens right here in the region.
It’s the practice of making threats against a victim, including threats to publish or distribute private and sensitive information about someone if the victim does not provide the perpetrator with sexually explicit images or videos with sexual favors or, in some cases, with money.
On Wednesday, FBI officials announced charges against a 21-year-old Florida man accused of doing the same to a minor in Michigan.
“We are charging Brandon Lee with three crimes. first with coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity. The second with producing child pornography and then third with receiving child pornography,” said US Attorney Mark Totten.
It’s alleged that Lee befriended an underaged Michigan girl on Snapchat and then threatened to post their sexually charged conversations online.
“…unless the victim provided him with sexually explicit photos and material,” US Attorney Totten added.
Unfortunately, there are hundreds of similar victims in the state of Michigan.
“Or national Intake Center received 629 tips about 630 cases across Michigan over the last two years, 483 of those tips with last year alone,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan James Tarasca.
The FBI is now looking for other victims to come forward by releasing Brandon’s other alleged screen names on social media. They all seem to include some form of the name Ty.
“We believe that Mr. Lee may have contacted a significant number of other people across the nation,” Tarasca added.
The FBI is asking parents to be more careful when monitoring their children’s online activity.
“Anyone can be a victim, but this crime especially targets some of the most vulnerable members of our society, teenagers and children,” US Attorney Mark Totten concluded.
Here are a few tips you can follow or discuss with your children to ensure you and your kids are safe:
- Be selective about what you share online.
- Remember, anything you send online can be made public.
- Beware of anyone you encounter for the first time and Block strangers.
- Videos and photos are not proof at all about someone being real, so Be suspicious of everyone.