Cybercrime Squad detectives have charged a teenage boy with a number of alleged sextortion and blackmail offences under Strike Force Lutwyche.
On Wednesday 19 October 2023, officers attached to Ryde Police Area Command and State Crime Command's Cybercrime Squad commenced an investigation into the alleged sextortion and blackmail of a 16-year-old girl.
About 9.30pm the same day, a 17-year-old boy was arrested in Wollongong and taken to Wollongong Police Station where he was charged with blackmail, threaten to record of distribute intimate image, use carriage service for child abuse material.
He was granted conditional bail to appear before a children's court on Wednesday 24 January 2024.
Following further inquiries under Strike Force Lutwyche, about 7.40am on Wednesday 22 November 2023, detectives attended an address in Gwynneville where they arrested a 17-year-old boy.
He was taken to Wollongong Police Station where he was charged with use carriage service to solicit child abuse material, aggravated offence re private sexual material using carriage service, and demand with menaces intend obtain gain/cause loss.
He was refused bail and appeared before a children's court on Thursday 23 November 2023, where he was granted conditional bail to re-appear today (Tuesday 28 November 2023).
Police will allege in court the boy was talking to at least five further victims in an attempt to sextort them.
Commander of State Crime Command's Cybercrime Squad, Detective Superintendent Matthew Craft, said sextortion is a global trend which has seen an increase in Australia recently.
"Sextortion is where offenders target predominantly teenage boys online and request sexual images, before threatening to share them publicly unless the victim pay up.
"While it's a scary and sometimes embarrassing predicament to find yourself in; we want victims to know there are options available to them and police have powers to take action against alleged offenders," Det Supt Craft said.
"Anyone can become a target of sextortion, and it is never the victim's fault. But there are steps everyone can take, for example not sending any images to anyone online that you wouldn't proudly display on a public notice board yourself."
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
