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October 16, 2024 | 9:00 AM |
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Local 14-Year-Old Arrested For Exploiting Peers
PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich: On Monday, a 14-year-old male from Plainfield Township was arrested in connection to a sextortion case. Sextortion is a term used to describe the act of pressuring another person to send inappropriate images and then threatening to release them in an attempt to extort the victim. KCSO believes this local teen targeted up to seventeen other teenagers on social media and pressured them to send illicit images. 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 Child Sexually Abusive Material - Possession. The teenager is in the custody of the Kent County Juvenile Detention Facility.
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.
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Contact: Sgt Kailey Gilbert - Public Information Officer
616.295.3936 | kailey.gilbert@kentcountymi.gov
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