State agents have jailed a local man on ten counts of second degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Landon Adam Powell, 25, was released on $15,000 secured bond after he was arrested Wednesday. His address was listed as 515 Porter Swamp Rd., Cerro Gordo, according to arrest records.
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) reported that its Computer Crimes Unit received a CyberTip on March 1 that Powell was committing sextortion against a Pennsylvania teen. The SBI did not release specifics about the victim.
The SBI and the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes division conducted a joint investigation, leading to Powell’s arrest.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reported a major upswinging sextortion cases since the pandemic. Children and teens are the most common victims. The FBI says victims are threatened or talked into share explicit images online, and the recipient then demands money, more photos or sex in exchange for not sharing the images.
North Carolina recently upped the penalties for sextortion.
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