Lethbridge police have laid charges against an 18-year-old resident who they say was extorting nude photographs from a minor over social media.
On January 7, the 14-year-old victim reported to police that she was befriended on social media in the summer of 2015 by an unknown man and pressured into sharing nude photographs of herself.
The victim complied with the demands and was then extorted into producing more photos.
She was told by the accused that if she did not continue sending him photos, he would post them publicly and send them to her family members.
A subsequent investigation by Lethbridge Police, with the assistance of ALERT’s Integrated Child Exploitation Unit, identified the suspect as someone known to the victim who was communicating with her through several false identities.
The accused’s name is not being released because they are associated with the victim and police say releasing the suspect’s name would jeopardize the identity of the victim.
Investigators do not believe there are any other victims.
“This case exemplifies the risks associated with online photo sharing. Once you hit send, you lose complete control over how that image is going to be used – or come back to haunt you,” said Cst. Jason Richmond, an investigator with the ALERT Integrated Child Exploitation Unit, in a release.
Richmond also told the media on Friday that victims in situations like these should never feel like they've done anything wrong. "If they don't report it to someone such as a school resource officer, parent or police, the situation will just continue to get worse."
The accused was arrested on May 18 and faces the following charges:
- Extortion
- Making child pornography
- Accessing child pornography
- Possessing child pornography
- Making sexually explicit material available to a child
- Luring for the purposes of child pornography
The accused has already appeared in court and is expected to make another appearance on June 16.
(With files from CTV Lethbridge's Taylor Oseen)
