Feds: Sextortion reports on rise

HOUSTON – The FBI and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said they're receiving more reports of children being targeted for sextortion.

KPRC Channel 2 News first reported on the crime over the summer, and the problem continues to grow.

Sextortion happens when a person uses coercion to get sexual images, videos, money or even sex from a victim. Many times the targets are pre-teens and teens. 

For more about sextortion, visit the FBI's special website here.

Many of the victims are kids with good grades who are social, love sports and have a lot of friends. The problem is these children often make just one mistake, and they pay for it. 

Ashley Reynolds is one child who fell victim to sextortion. When she was 14 years old she was into sports, was doing well in school and seemed to have a great life. That is until she became a sextortion victim. 

"I didn't want to believe what I was doing," she said. 

Reynolds is 20 years old now and is sharing her story with the FBI and the rest of the nation so other other children won't be targeted. 

"I felt like a slave. I had to make sure I replied to every message," she said. 

Reynolds had fallen for a common ploy: She was contacted online by someone who claimed to be a teenage boy. He had embarrassing sexual photos of her. He threatened to send those photos to her friends if she didn't send him a topless photo of herself. Without considering the consequences, Reynolds sent him the photo. 

"Often times, what we see with the kids here within the region is they will start to communicate with somebody who they believe is a 14-year-old friend-of-a-friend, and then from there they will develop a relationship," said Michael Glennon, with FBI. "At some point they will probably disclose some sort of compromising photo or image. That image then is taken and held against them."

Reynolds faced a similar threat. 

"I gave him the pictures and I got to keep my reputation. He was not going to stop. I never wanted to send and give him what he wanted, but I wanted my freedom," she said. 

"We had one instance where the exploiter told her, like told the young lady that if she didn't provide the images by this time (the) next day, he had the list of everyone that was in her third period at school, and he was going to distribute those to everyone at her school," Michael Glennon, with the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children, said.

Reynolds was tormented for months, until her parents found out what was happening. 

An FBI investigation led to an arrest of 26-year-old Lucas Chansler. He pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child pornography production and was sent to prison for 105 years. Chansler had used the internet to victimize nearly 350 teenage girls.

The majority of Chansler's victims have not been identified. 

Another local teenage girl also became a victim at 14 years old. She said she thought she was in love.

"He was charming at first," said the victim, who will not be identified.

She met the Houston man online. She said she knew Jorge Juan Perez was 27, but she believed her digital relationship was real.

"At the time, I thought I was a little girl and just wanted someone to love," the victim said.

Perez convinced the girl to send him nude photos.

"I was never comfortable with it," she said. "I always felt I was doing something wrong."

But his requests continued and they became more graphic. When the teen said no, the threats began.

"And the child complies," Sheri Zack, with the U.S. Attorney's Office, said. "Why? Because they're a child."

Zack prosecuted Perez in Houston. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

"They prey upon the weak and the kids that are looking for love, affection and attention," Zack said.

For more information or to report a crime, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 800-843-5678.


About the Authors:

Karen Drew is the anchor of Local 4 News First at 4, weekdays at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. She is also an award-winning investigative reporter.