Kent County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 14-year-old boy from Plainfield Township in connection with a sextortion case.
Those typically involve a suspect pressuring others to send inappropriate images then extorting victims by threatening to release the images if payments are not made.
Deputies say he targeted at least 17 other teenage boys.
Most victims are from out-of-state reached through social media, but three are from Kent County.
Sergeant Kailey Gilbert urges parents to use this case as an opportunity to start hard conversations with their children.
“These things are happening in our own backyard and the sheriff’s office is committed to investigating these cases fully. That way these suspects are held accountable and hopefully that brings some closure to our victims who will sadly have long-term trauma from this. From being coerced to send images, and then if there’s any threats or fear these images will be shared online, and the embarrassment that goes with that and having to go to school, and all the things associated with that.”
The 14-year-old is charged with three counts of Child Sexually Abusive Activity, two counts of Using a Computer to Commit a Crime, and one count of Possession of Child Sexually Abusive Material.
He is currently in the custody of the Kent County Juvenile Detention Facility.
