SHAWANO, WI- A disturbing trend is sweeping through Wisconsin, and Shawano School Resource Officer Tyler Thornborrow says it’s hitting home faster than many realize. Sextortion cases—where online predators blackmail young people into sending explicit images—are on the rise, and the consequences can be deadly.
Officer Thornborrow and Officer Hoffman recently attended a law enforcement conference focused on combating the surge. What they learned was sobering.
“We’ve been seeing a growing trend, not just among our students but throughout the state,” Thornborrow said. “It’s a big problem, and we’re trying to remove some of the stigma that comes along with it.”
What is Sextortion?
Sextortion is when online predators—often based overseas—manipulate or blackmail youth into sending inappropriate pictures or videos. Once they have that content, the predators threaten to share it with the victim’s friends, family, or online followers unless they’re paid.
“Typically, the perpetrators are from Nigeria or the Ivory Coast,” said Thornborrow, citing FBI data. “About 93% of victims in these cases are male.”
The demands often start small—$500 through Apple Pay or gift cards—but the harassment rarely stops, even after payment. In many cases, the explicit content is still shared, and the emotional toll can be devastating.
Thornborrow shared one heartbreaking example from the conference: a young man who was targeted late one night, sent images, was extorted for money by 2 a.m., and tragically took his own life just hours later.
In response, Officer Thornborrow is speaking directly with students at Shawano High School and Hillcrest Primary School. At the high school level, the conversations are direct and honest—highlighting the real dangers of sextortion. At the elementary level, the focus is on digital safety and encouraging children to speak up when something feels wrong.
“Even second graders are online,” he said. “We talk to them about how to get help if something makes them sad, scared, or confused.”
At the heart of Shawano’s message is a simple promise: victims will not be punished.
“If a child or even an adult is a victim of sextortion, we will not prosecute them,” Thornborrow said. “Our goal is to educate and help—not punish.”
There Is Help: “Take It Down” Program
A powerful tool for victims is the Take It Down initiative, run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The program allows victims to report explicit images taken of them as minors. Those images are then digitally fingerprinted and automatically flagged and removed when shared across social media platforms.
“80% of the time, we can get those pictures removed,” Thornborrow said. “That’s what these predators are counting on—that the victims think there’s no hope. But there is.”
Locally and nationally, law enforcement agencies are working to prosecute these criminals and dismantle the money laundering networks behind them. But Thornborrow says prevention starts at home.
“We need families to have these conversations with their kids,” he said. “Tell them it’s not their fault. Make sure they know they can come to you. That one conversation could make all the difference.”
Officer Thornborrow wants parents and guardians to understand how quickly sextortion situations can escalate—and how critical it is for kids to feel safe asking for help.
“You think your child is just upstairs on their phone,” he said. “But within hours, their world can fall apart. We’ve seen it. And we don’t want to see it again.”
For resources or to report a sextortion case, visit:
https://www.missingkids.org/TakeItDown
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