The Dearborn County Sheriff's Office has issued a warning about a rise in sextortion cases involving teens and children in the local community, though the department has not released specifics on individual cases. Investigators say the scams are spreading across some of the most popular apps kids use every day, and they're urging parents to talk with their children now, before a simple online conversation turns into a threat.
According to WCPO 9 News, Derek Stevens, who works with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, said sextortion cases have increased across Snapchat, TikTok, Discord and Telegram. Stevens described how online perpetrators use manipulative tactics to gain a child's trust, often starting with something as innocuous as a friend request before the conversation escalates.
Once explicit images or videos are shared, the outlet reports, that material can quickly lead to threats and demands. Offenders may threaten to send a victim's images or videos to friends, family, schools or social media contacts unless the victim pays up or sends more explicit content. The sheriff's office is urging parents to discuss online safety with their children before those conversations ever start.
A Pattern Playing Out Nationwide
Dearborn County's warning lands amid a documented surge in these cases across the country. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reported receiving more than 50,000 reports of financially motivated sextortion targeting minors in 2025, averaging 137 reports a day and up sharply from 36,000 reports the year before, according to NCMEC. The organization also found that 94% of public sextortion reports with an identified victim relationship came directly from child victims or their parents, with most filed by the minors themselves.
The FBI has warned that victims of financially motivated sextortion are predominantly teenage boys between 14 and 17, and that many organized extortion schemes originate internationally, often from West Africa or Southeast Asia, per the bureau's public safety guidance shared with the FBI's Nashville Field Office. Federal officials note that financial gain, rather than sexual gratification, drives many of these overseas operations.
Indiana's Task Force Has Been Busy
The scale of the problem shows up in Indiana's own numbers. The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force grew to more than 520 officers statewide and handled 29,635 CyberTips in 2025, a 38% jump from 2024 that led to 499 arrests and the rescue of 126 children, Indiana State Police reported in February, according to WIBC. State police announced the results of Operation Guardian Angel, a statewide ICAC Task Force initiative that led to 48 arrests and the rescue of 14 children from ongoing abuse, as reported by WTHR.
Warning Signs Parents Can Watch For
Local reporting on the sheriff's office release outlined specific red flags used by extortionists, including creating fake teenage personas, offering gaming credits or gift cards, using multiple alt-accounts, and secretly recording video calls, according to The 812. Offenders frequently steer conversations toward encrypted or unmonitored messaging apps once they've built a rapport with a young target.
Federal guidance stresses that paying an extortion demand or sending additional explicit images rarely stops the blackmail. The FBI notes that perpetrators routinely demand more money or publish the images regardless of whether a victim pays, according to the bureau's Kansas City Field Office. Law enforcement instead advises victims to preserve screenshot evidence and report the extortion immediately rather than comply.
Legal Exposure and Where Cases Can Land
Under Indiana Code § 35-45-4-8, non-consensual distribution of intimate images is a Class A misdemeanor that escalates to a Level 6 felony for repeat offenders, per Keffer Hirschauer LLP. When cases cross state or international lines, prosecutorial jurisdiction can shift to federal authorities.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children provides a tip line and resources for families dealing with online exploitation. The organization's Take It Down platform can help remove explicit photos or videos.
For now, the Dearborn County Sheriff's Office has not disclosed how many local cases it is investigating or what specific incidents prompted the public warning. The office's message to families remains straightforward: talk to your kids about what they're sharing online, and who they're really talking to, before a friend request turns into something far more dangerous.
