WOOD Radio Local News

WOOD Radio Local News

WOOD Radio Local News

 

KCSO arrests 14-year-old boy for alleged sextortion incidents

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The Kent County Sheriff's Office says it's arrested a 14-year-old boy from Plainfield Township in connection to a sextortion case.

That is the act of pressuring someone to send inappropriate images and then threatening to post them publicly unless they get money or something else in return.

Investigators figure the teenager targeted as many as 17 other teenagers on social media. He is charged with three counts of Child Sexually Abusive Activity, two counts of Using a Computer to Commit a Crime, and one count of Posseing Child Sexually Abusive Material. The teenager is in the custody of the Kent County Juvenile Detention Facility.

The KCSO issued a written statement about sextortion:

"This sad case brings an opportunity to speak with the children of our community about the dangers of online bullying and sextortion. As law enforcement continues to investigate, it becomes clear that these crimes are not faceless acts from distant locations but can, and do, happen right here within our community.

We encourage anyone experiencing pressure to send illicit images or being bullied to contact a trusted adult; whether it’s a parent, teacher, School Resource Officer, or family friend. These crimes have lasting impact and trauma on their victims and our local law enforcement community takes these very seriously. KCSO has investigated several school threats since the start of the year and has continually investigated cases of the spread of child pornography on social media. The impact to the families and victims is important to acknowledge."

###


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content