Teen boys blackmailed using nude photos is on the rise: What to know
Predators financially extort teens, mostly boys, by blackmailing them with nude photos. Here’s what you need to know about the cybercrime.
The Oregon Department of Justice reported a sharp uptick in tips about “sextortion” of minors since 2020 and shared updated guidance on keeping kids safe online for Safer Internet Day on Feb. 11.
The state’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force receives cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Tips related to sextortion, categorized as “online enticement of children for sexual acts,” have increased by 857%, from nearly 200 in 2020 to nearly 2,000 last year, the DOJ said.
The FBI said sextortion “occurs when someone threatens to distribute your private and sensitive material if you don’t provide them images of a sexual nature, sexual favors, or money.”
“As a parent myself, these cases and the numbers we’re seeing in Oregon alone are deeply troubling,” said Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield. “Our investigators are dedicated to combating online threats. They are working with investigators across the country, and around (the) world in some cases, to get justice for these kids and their families.”
Oregon’s task force has received a total of 46,205 cybertips since it began in 2004, a spokesperson said. Tips have led to 353 arrests and 2,070 investigations, according to the DOJ’s 2025-2027 budget request.
There are 61 task forces throughout the country. NCMEC receives tips about sextortion and other child exploitation online and sends them to task forces.
Mark Williamson, assistant chief criminal investigator for Oregon’s ICAC, said sextortion is the “biggest issue that we’re dealing with right now when it comes to kids.”
Oregon’s task force was expanded last year after legislators approved nearly $2.7 million in additional funding for 14 additional positions to what was previously a staff of five. In addition to investigating tips, the ICAC gives education and prevention presentations and trains law enforcement on how to respond.
“That is a big component of what we’re doing — trying to prevent these incidents from happening, and educating everyone, from the kids to their families to law enforcement — so they know what to look out for and who to turn to,” said Williamson.
Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@statesmanjournal.com or 971-208-5615.
Jedd Fisch wasn’t able to send the Washington Huskies’ seniors off with a victory, as his team fell 26-14 to the No. 5 Oregon Ducks on Saturday afternoon.
As sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. struggled, completing just 50 percent of his passes for 129 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, the Huskies dropped to 8-4 on the season and 1-3 against ranked opponents.
Among the 23 players who walked on senior day that were hoping to go out with a victory were running back Jonah Coleman, wide receiver Denzel Boston, offensive linemen Carver Willis and Geirean Hatchett, defensive linemen Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei and Anterio Thompson, and cornerbacks Tacario Davis and Ephesians Prysock. After the game, Fisch took some time to acknowledge what all the seniors have meant to his program.
“Couldn’t be prouder of them, the way they’ve handled themselves,” Fisch said. “A lot of them have been with me and our staff for four years, from the time we recruited in high school at a different school. 2022, were a part of changing an entire culture, and really changed it twice.”
“I want to appreciate the guys that stayed here when we arrived and bought into what we were trying to get done, and have become team leaders and captains. I appreciate the guys that just transferred in this year and were a part of a good season, proud of those guys and appreciate those guys as well.”
Since his arrival, Fisch has done an impressive job upgrading the talent on Montlake after Kalen DeBoer’s departure for Alabama left the cupboards bare. While some of those promising building blocks were apparent in the loss, like running back Adam Mohammed, wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck, offensive lineman John Mills, linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, and cornerback Dylan Robinson, Saturday’s game also showed that the Huskies still have some maturing to do before they can compete with the top teams in the Big Ten.
“That’s kind of the way it works…you lose big, then you lose small, then you win small, then you win big,” Fisch said. “That’s kind of the progression of how these turnarounds occur, or how these builds occur. I think we had some interesting ‘win bigs’ throughout the year, but these types of games, against the top ten teams, they’re challenging, and they’re going to be like this.”
A special weather statement was issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday at 11:39 p.m. until Sunday at 4 a.m. for North Central Oregon and Central Oregon.
“Patchy dense fog will reduce visibilities to one quarter of a mile or less in the city of Bend and portions of US-97, US-197, and US-20. If you are driving, slow down, use low beam headlights and allow for extra space between your vehicle and those around you,” according to the weather service.
When Emily Purry casually asked her surf guide how far off she might be from competing, she never expected his answer would catapult her onto Team USA within weeks. On a recent episode of the Peak Northwest podcast, Purry shared the whirlwind journey that transformed her from a beginner blind adaptive surfer to an international competitor representing Oregon on the world stage.
“It was quite the whirlwind. Honestly, nothing that I expected or really even thought could happen,” Purry, who goes by “Strong Sightless Surfer” on Instagram, told host Chiara Profenna. “I’ve been surfing for a very short time. I’m very new to the sport.”
That conversation with her guide quickly escalated from hypothetical to actionable. When he suggested she could compete immediately, Purry discovered she needed to enter a competition before Team USA tryouts, leaving her with just two options: Hawaii the following week or Japan in three weeks.
Despite being a novice surfer who had progressively lost her sight to Stargardt’s macular degeneration, she made a decision that would intimidate even seasoned travelers: “As weird as it sounds, I think I can pull off Japan. And so, I flew to Japan independently. It was my first time flying internationally by myself.”
The logistics were daunting. In rapid succession, Purry had to purchase her first surfboard, navigate international travel alone, and trust strangers in a foreign country where communication was difficult. “I had to meet people I’d never seen before in my life. I talked to one of them on the phone once,” she explained, detailing how she was picked up by a Japanese man whose English was limited.
Despite these challenges, Purry not only competed in Japan but returned home and, just eight days later, successfully tried out for Team USA.
For Purry, this journey represents far more than athletic achievement.
“It started to bring my confidence back as far as who was I, who I used to be, and how much I missed me as a human being,” Purry shared, highlighting the deep connection between physical activity and sense of self.
Purry spoke on the podcast as she was preparing for the ISA (International Surfing Association) World Competition in Oceanside, California, held Nov. 2–7.
“I definitely want to win,” she shared on the podcast, revealing the competitive spirit that propelled her from that first casual conversation to the international stage in mere weeks. In Oceanside, Purry went on to help Team USA secure the silver medal at the ISA World Championships.
Listen to the full episode here:
Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive’s travel and outdoors podcast Peak Northwest on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Hosts Jamie Hale and Chiara Profenna take you to some of the greatest destinations in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Check out more Peak Northwest episodes below.
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