Sextortion,Teens,The,Online,Se law Sextortion of Teens: The Online Sexual Extortion Threat to T

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}Those who text risqué photographs oruse web cameras to send steamy videos of themselves may later be haunted by thefear of damage to their professional or personal lives. However, some areexposing themselves to a new danger: sextortion. Sextortion is a new termcoined for the act of using explicit pictures or videos to extort additionaland more explicit images.An Associated Press (AP) articlewarns that teenagers are especially at risk; because they are easy tointimidate and embarrassed to seek help, they can be more vulnerable toblackmail. Pornographers are contacting teens who send text messages with nakedphotos of themselves or who show off their bodies on the Internet, threateningto expose the behavior to friends and family unless the teens pose for moreexplicit porn.Federal Complaint Alleges OrangeCounty Man Victimized More Than 200Earlier this year, federalauthorities arrested Luis Mijangos. The Orange County man allegedly usedsoftware to hack into computers and download sexually explicit photographs ofmore than 200 girls and women, which he then used to extort additionalpornographic images.The criminal complaint says that thesoftware allowed Mijangos not only to view and download all files, pictures andvideos on any infected computer, but also to access remotely any webcam andmicrophone attached to an infected computer. Mijangos allegedly also had screenimages of financial information from his victims, including credit cardinformation, websites and accounts with various banking, mobile phone and otherservice providers.In 2009, the Glendale PoliceDepartment began an investigation involving a woman who suspected that herex-boyfriend was stalkingher. The case was turned over to the FBI, which found evidence implicatingMijangos. The complaint alleges that forensic analysis ties the suspect tohacking activity going back to 2008. In an affidavit, the FBI claims that Mijangoshad dozens of videos from web cameras that showed unknowing victims partiallyor completely nude or having sex.Mijangos allegedly used the data andimages he captured to threaten his victims, saying that he would show theimages to family members unless the victims sent him more explicit videos.Authorities say many of the victims were unidentified and many appeared to beminors.Teenagers at RiskThe AP says that in June 2010,Trevor Shea of Mechanicsville, Maryland, was indicted on federal charges ofsexual extortion. Shea allegedly threatened to post webcam photos of an Indianateen who had flashed her breasts while visiting an Internet chat room unlessshe posed for more explicit pictures for him. The teen complied with thedemands at least twice, and eventually the local police and federal authoritiesbecame involved.In Alabama, Jonathan Vance admittedsending threatening messages on social networking sites in order to extort nudephotos from more than 50 young women in Alabama, Pennsylvania and Missouri. Hewas sentenced to 18 years in prison.In Wisconsin, Anthony Stancl wassentenced to 15 years in prison after he posed as a girl on a social networkingsite in order to trick male high school classmates into sending him nudepictures, which he later used to extort sex from the classmates.Peer-to-Peer Sharing NetworksMillions of users share files onpeer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks. These networks generally have nocentral server but are comprised of many users who make files available toshare with others in the network. Teenagers who download the file sharingprograms may either purposely or inadvertently make photographs of themselvesavailable to the other network users. Pornographersor sexual predators may download suggestive pictures or videos inorder to extort more explicit pornography from minors.Federal prosecutors and child safetyadvocates say they are seeing an upswing in these online sexual extortioncases. These prosecutors caution teens that once an indiscretion appears onlineor on a cell phone, they can be circulated and even posted on websites thatpost sexting photos. Teenagers should be instructed not to take photographsor videos that they would be embarrassed for their parents, teachers, friendsor the public to see. Parents can also take precautions by monitoring website,P2P networks and phone activity.