PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — In a disturbing case of online sexual exploitation, a 14-year-old boy from Plainfield Township was arrested on Monday.
He is now facing charges of possessing child sexually abusive materials (CSAM) and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.
Investigators believe the teenager targeted up to 17 other young people, including three victims from Kent County, by pressuring them to send him illicit images via social media.
Prosecuting crimes that occur online can be complex, but law enforcement agencies are becoming increasingly adept at using investigative tools to track down suspects.
"People think they can do it anonymously," said Chris Becker, Kent County prosecutor.
However, as Sgt. Kailey Gilbert of the Kent County Sheriff's Office noted, "Our detectives have a lot of investigative tools at their disposal to comb through all the data."
The 14-year-old suspect allegedly used social media to find and pressure his victims into sending him sexually explicit photos.
"It's definitely preying on emotions and the impulsivity of young children," Sgt. Gilbert said.
Because of the suspect’s age, the case will remain in the juvenile court system. Though, the repercussions there can still be severe.
"Juveniles can be on probation till they're 21, essentially," Becker explained.
While the investigators do not believe the suspect has any more victims, similar schemes happen online every day.
The teenage suspect is currently in custody at the Kent County Juvenile Detention facility.
Sgt. Gilbert emphasized the importance of keeping an open line of communication with kids.
She says it is also vitally important that parents reach out to law enforcement if they suspect something is happening with their child online.
“The first thing is just to make that hard phone call,” she explained. “You can always contact law enforcement, but we know that might not be the easiest for some people. … There's other avenues out there, Child Protective Services, or you can talk to somebody at school. They're also mandated reporters.”
In 2024, law enforcement now have the tools needed to track down bad online actors.
“We take all these cases seriously because we know the ramifications and the impacts it has on our victims and their families, so we will investigate all of them to the fullest extent possible.”
If you or someone you know is a victim of online sexual exploitation, there are resources available to help.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) operates a hotline for reporting suspected cases of child sexual exploitation. You can reach them at 1-800-843-5678.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at (616) 632-6100.
"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."
—Statement from the Kent County Sheriff's Office
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