The Rice County Sheriff’s office is reporting a disturbing trend centered around teenagers and preteens. According to a statement issued by the county the number of reported sextortion cases involving minors doubled in 2023 from 2022, and the report rate is already higher in 2024.
The statement said most cases involve teenagers and younger children who accept a friend request through social media. The person making the request then coerces them into sending inappropriate or explicit photos of themselves, and suddenly they are in a situation where they are being blackmailed into sending more photos, videos, and even money. When victims fail to comply with demands, blackmailers threaten to send the images to the victim’s friends, family and school.
Sgt. Trevor Peterson of the Rice County Sheriff Department said in the statement that the blackmailers are generally adults who troll for victims using social media apps or online gaming platforms. Sheriff Jesse Thomas was blunt about the situation saying, “These kids are being hunted.”
The problem is certainly not unique to Rice County. According to the statement, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received nearly 187,000 reports of online enticement, which is an increase of 323% between 2021 and 2023.
Rice County Investigator Matt Slinger, who is part of the Rice County Sexual Assault Multidisciplinary Response Team, or SMART, said he has made several presentations to local students about the problem, and after each of those presentations, several students have told him that they have been victims.
The county offers resources to help victims, but it also advises parents that they must be more vigilant with their kids and their use of online devices. Sheriff Thomas said parents have a responsibility to protect their children.
“Just a reminder to parents, I know a cell phone is nice for your kids as far as sports and having contact with them but remember that phone is not a babysitter. If you have to give a phone to a younger person, it does not have to have the Internet on it. Sometimes that’s a tough sell to a kid, but your job is to make sure that kid is safe.”
Victims of sextortion or anyone who is asked for help by a victim, should not delete the app, the account of the perpetrator or the images. Each of those things, according to the statement, will improve law enforcement’s chance of finding the perpetrator.
Should a situation like this arise, Thomas advised the victim, or the victim’s family, to contact law enforcement immediately.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Rice County Sheriff Jesse Thomas can be heard here
Pownell will discuss ‘Building on Our Strengths’ during State of the City
The City of Northfield has announced the 2024 edition of the Mayor’s State of the City Address will be presented this year on March 19th. Mayor Rhonda Pownell’s annual address will celebrate what Northfield has accomplished over the past year and the goals and aspirations that have been made priorities for this year.
The mayor’s address will be a distillation of information brought together from the various city departments and presented through the mayor’s prioritized lens, but the State of the City has become much more than a speech given by Mayor Pownell. It will include recognition of various award winners, and a celebration of things like the annual Mayor for a Day essay contest that runs every year in Northfield’s 4th and 5th grades.
The program will feature live music, and brief video presentations on this year’s honorees. Every year, the event honors the recipients of the Northfield Human Rights Award, the Ethical Leadership Award, the Board and Commission Excellence Award, the Employee Excellence Award, and the Living Treasure Award.
City of Northfield Communications Specialist Kara Trygstad said shorter videos will be shown during the event, but longer videos for all the honorees will be made available online afterwards.
“There’s kind of a time crunch for that event, but you know afterwards we want people to have an opportunity to get their full acceptance speech out there for all the awards that they’re getting. I mean, we have some really strong community members and really impressive people that will be recognized during the event, and this is a good opportunity to learn about what these individuals contribute.”
Mayor Pownell said in a statement issued by the city that the theme this year will be “Building on Our Strengths.” She said she intends to discuss the unique strengths of the community, while also recognizing the city’s challenges and what is being done to face them, and how she sees Northfield positioned for a “bright future.”
The 2024 State of the City Address will be held on Tuesday, March 19th at 6:30pm at Carleton College’s Weitz Center for Creativity in the Kracum Performance Hall. ASL and Spanish interpreters will be available. Refreshments will be served after the address during an artist’s reception held for Living Treasure Award winner Judy Saye-Willis.
A recording of the event will be available in English and Spanish on Northfield Public Broadcasting channels 180 and 187 and on the city’s YouTube Channel throughout the year.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
