WebProNews

Tag: sextortion case

  • Sex Pic Extortion Lands Man in Prison

    A federal court today sentenced 23-year-old John Bryan Villegas of Kittery, Maine to two years, nine months in prison for what has become known colloquially as “sextortion.” Villegas pleaded guilty last year to cyber stalking for using sexually explicit material to extort a Dover, New Hampshire woman. The matter was escalated to a federal matter due to the fact that the extortion took place across state lines.

    Villegas in January pleaded guilty to a burglary in 2012 in which he stole a laptop, wallet, e-reader, and some panties from the woman’s home. Following the burglary Villegas found sexually explicit photos and videos of the woman on her computer.

    Villegas then proceeded to extort the woman for even more sexually explicit material. He emailed the woman, promising to send her photos and videos to friends, family members, and co-workers if she did not provide what he asked. According to a Portsmouth Herald report, the woman instead contacted police, who partnered with the U.S. Secret Service to trace the emails. Police were later able to link Villegas to the burglary using crime scene evidence.

    The Villegas case is one of a string of recent sextortion cases to see convictions. Last year 19-year-old Jared James Abrahams pleaded guilty to extorting eight women in the same way, including Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf. Abrahams is scheduled to be sentenced next week.

  • Sextortion Photos Case Arrest Made

    An arrest has been made in the sextortion photos case. Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf and seven other women became victims of sextortion when Jared James Abrahams, 19, of Temecula, Calif. used malicious software to control their computer webcams.

    Abrahams allegedly used the cameras to video tape the women nude and then sent them emails threatening to publish the photos if they did not send him more. Abrahams went to great lengths to gain access to the victims’ computers, even creating a “Virtual Private Network” to disguise his identity when he sent threatening emails.

    Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf was allegedly the first victim and an acquaintance of Abrahams. The complaint says that the FBI first learned of the alleged sextortion in March via 18-year-old “C.W.,” who became concerned when she received an alert from a social networking site saying her password had been changed. She said she then received “an extortionate email” with nude photographs attached. The sender, according to the complaint, said that C.W. should comply with his demands or have her nude photographs “plastered all over the internet.”

    In one instance, says the complaint, a victim identified as M.M. 1 agreed to communicate with Abrahams via Skype. She told him, “I’m downloading Skype now. Please remember I’m only 17. Have a heart.” Abrahams allegedly responded, “I’ll tell you this right now. I do NOT have a heart!!!”

    If convicted, Abrahams faces two years in federal prison. But the investigation is continuing and additional charges haven’t been ruled out, according to federal investigators.

    Image from Wikimedia Commons.