Ga. man allegedly extorted teens for porn

• Tweet

MABLETON, Ga., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- A Georgia man has been accused of coercing teenagers via social networking websites into sending him nude photographs and videos, officials said.

Tremain Hutchinson, 27, of Mableton was arraigned in federal court Wednesday following his Dec. 18 indictment on 10 counts of employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, five counts of coercing and enticing minors to engage in sexual activity, two counts of transferring obscene materials to minors, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

"Hutchinson is charged with exploiting social media to victimize children," U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said. "His conduct is particularly disturbing because he threatened and coerced these terrified children into engaging in sexual acts."

Yates said Hutchinson allegedly met several teenage girls online, posing as a 16-year-old boy named Mario. He allegedly then coerced the girls into sending him nude pictures, then threatened to post the photos online if they did not send him sexually explicit videos as well.

The investigation against Hutchinson began February when a mother contacted police after finding images of her children engaging in sexual activity, Yates said.

Hutchinson was ordered held without bond. If convicted, he faces life in prison.