Michigan State Police Alpena Post Community Service Trooper Jason Kunath

ALPENA — Two bills passed in January by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer specified sentencing guidelines for sextortion, according to a Jan. 22 press release.

Sextortion is a crime in which an individual blackmails others, threatening to distribute sexually explicit photographs or videos of another person. The bills address a growing form of crime in a modern world, helping Michiganders to live without fear of retribution, the press release states.

According to the bills, which are House Bills 5887 and 5888, for a first offense a person could be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years, and given a fine of not more than $5,000, or both. For a second offense, a person could be imprisoned for up to 10 years, and be fined up to $10,000, or both. For a third offense or greater, a person could be imprisoned for up to 20 years and be fined up to $20,000, or both.

The bills will go into effect on April 2.

State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, did not vote on either bill.

Cavitt withheld his vote since both bills were passed during the lame duck session in December when Republican legislators walked out on House votes in protest of a lack of action on a tipped wage bill.

State Sen. Michele Hoitenga, R-Manton, voted in favor of both bills.

Michigan State Police Alpena Post Community Service Trooper Jason Kunath has given presentations on cybersecurity and internet safety in local school districts. To prevent becoming a victim of sextortion, he said, make sure that you never send explicit images of yourself to anyone online, especially someone that you do not know.

He advised internet users to make sure they know who a person is before sharing any personal information with them.

The Michigan Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force website provides information for concerned parents on keeping children safe from sextortion and other internet crimes, Kunath said.

Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Intelligence Detroit has hosted a webinar on educating the community about sextortion and plans to host a second one, according to a March 13 press release.

“The harsh reality that parents, teachers, and guardians need to know is that, while online, our children are being targeted by criminals with the most heinous intentions,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan, in the press release. “They are being coerced and emotionally manipulated into situations where they are producing Child Sexual Abuse Material and then are being blackmailed for money or other services.

“By hosting these webinars, we hope to reduce and eventually eradicate this alarming trend, encourage open and honest conversations and provide life-saving resources,” she continued.

The Detroit Field Office provided tips for preventing online sexual exploitation in the press release.

They advised people to be selective about what they share online and to block or ignore messages from strangers.

Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online or of anyone who wants to move to a different platform to have a conversation.

The office reminded internet users that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online, and their videos or photos are not proof of who they say they may be.

Any content you create can be made public and you have little control over where it is shared next.

Do not send any money or additional content to the blackmailer.

Finally, they told the public to not be ashamed to ask for help. If you are receiving messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report them to the platform’s safety administrators, tell a trusted adult, or inform the FBI.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.