Ohio
Ohio criminalizes sextortion after death of Olentangy High School student
The law signed Wednesday by Gov. Mike DeWine makes makes sexual extortion a third-degree felony, with harsher penalties possible
Sextortion schemes that often target minors and caused the death of a suburban Columbus high school student are now illegal in Ohio.
Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation Wednesday named for Olentangy High School football player Braden Markus that criminalizes sexual extortion, which occurs when someone blackmails another person over the release of private images. Ohio lawmakers passed the bill last month, more than three years after Braden fell victim to sextortion and killed himself.
“We can’t bring Braden back, but what we can do is something in his name today and say we’re going to make a difference,” DeWine said during a signing ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse, surrounded by Braden’s family and friends.
House Bill 531 makes sexual extortion a third-degree felony, with harsher penalties if the victims are minors, seniors or people with disabilities. When sentencing offenders, courts must consider whether the victim died by suicide or suffered “serious physical, psychological, or economic harm.”
The law also makes it easier for parents to access their child’s digital assets if they die as a minor. Rep. Beth Lear, R-Galena, who co-sponsored the bill, said Braden’s family wondered for months what happened to him because they couldn’t get into his cell phone.
Federal authorities received over 13,000 reports of online sexual extortion involving minors − primarily boys − from October 2021 to March 2023, according to the FBI. In Braden’s case, someone posing as high school girl on social media asked Braden for intimate photos and then demanded $1,800 so they wouldn’t be published. He died a half hour later.
“I’m hoping that there’s a deterrent,” Braden’s mother, Jennifer Markus, told the Columbus Dispatch last month. “Knowing that this law is there, that they will quit preying on our kids.”
An early version of the bill would have made victims and their families eligible for compensation through the attorney general’s office, but lawmakers axed that provision. A spokesperson for Attorney General Dave Yost did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Donovan Hunt contributed to this report.
Haley BeMiller covers state government and politics for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
Ohio
Sieh Bangura runs for 149 yards and a score, helps Ohio beat UNLV 17-10 in Frisco Bowl
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Sieh Bangura rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown and Ohio beat UNLV 17-10 on Tuesday night to win the Frisco Bowl.
The Bobcats (9-4) have won their last seven bowl games — dating to 2017 — after losing eight of their first 10.
Defensive coordinator and interim head coach John Hauser led Ohio to this victory after head coach Brian Smith was fired earlier in the month for having an affair with an undergraduate student.
Ohio’s Parker Navarro had a 5-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper five minutes into the second quarter for the only score of the first half. The lead was 6-0 after David Dellenbach’s extra-point kick hit the right upright.
UNLV (10-4) had a first down on the Bobcats’ 33-yard line with 32 second left, but DJ Walker picked off an Anthony Colandrea pass in the end zone to keep it 6-0.
Bangura scored on a 23-yard run less than four minutes into the third quarter, and Navarro passed to Chase Hendricks for the two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead.
Hendricks muffed a punt at the end of UNLV’s first possession and Kayden McGee recovered at the Ohio 30. The Rebels settled for a career-long 50-yard field goal by Ramon Villela to cut it to 14-3.
Dellenbach kicked a 45-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, but Colandrea scored on a fourth-and-goal run from the 2 to get the Rebels within 17-10 with 4:45 remaining. UNLV never got the ball back in falling to 4-4 all time in bowl games.
Navarro completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 yards with an interception. Bangura did his damage on 19 carries.
Colandrea totaled 184 yards on 19-for-30 passing.
UNLV had the nation’s longest run of scoring at least 20 points end at 35 games.
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Ohio
Ohio AG on human trafficking: It’s not rich and poor, it’s literally all around us
COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the second time in two years, the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and the Steubenville Police Department have joined forces to combat human trafficking crimes.
In October, the operation led to the arrest of eight individuals for sex trafficking offenses, including men from Follansbee and St. Clairsville.
Earlier, in July 2024, 10 men from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia were apprehended and charged with solicitation and possession of criminal tools.
“It just goes to show that human trafficking happens everywhere,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “This isn’t a big city thing, it happens in small towns, it happens out in the country. It’s not rich and poor, it’s literally all around us.
“I am hopeful that the message is going out around Ohio and Steubenville and the Mahoning Valley — Don’t Buy Sex in Ohio!”
He also highlighted the support provided to survivors during these operations.
“We always have social service providers that partner with us that are on site. So, whether it’s something simple like a meal or a shower or something as necessary as an addiction treatment bed — we’re there to try and help provide the resource,” Yost added.
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For those affected by human trafficking, a victim services directory is available here.
Ohio
3 kids lead police on Ohio car chase after learning to steal vehicles on YouTube: officials
NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, Ohio — Three kids, ages 12, 11, and 8, led Ohio police on a chase in a stolen car on Saturday, according to police.
According to the Newburgh Heights Police Department, an 11-year-old was driving a car that was stolen from Parma, WEWS reported.
Officers chased the car on Harvard Avenue west over the Denison Bridge. Shortly after the chase began, the car crashed into a house on Denison Avenue, police said.
No injuries were reported.
Newburgh Heights PD said two brothers, an 8-year-old and an 11-year-old, along with a 12-year-old, began running from the police.
After police caught them, the kids told officers they watched YouTube videos to learn how to steal cars, police said.
According to the department, the boys were released to their parents, and police will file charges in juvenile court.
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