Virginia man gets 50 years for Snapchat child 'sextortion' ring

MIAMI (WGHP) -- A Virginia man was sentenced Thursday to 50 years in federal prison for orchestrating a Snapchat “sextortion” ring that targeted children, the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday, WDVM reports.

Joseph Isaiah Woodson Jr., 30, was ordered to serve 600 months and lifetime supervised release by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez.

Woodson was convicted on Sept. 27, 2019 in Florida on three counts of Production of Child Pornography, one count of Distribution of Child Pornography, one count of Sending Extortionate Threats, and one count of Conspiracy.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida said Woodson Jr. was coercing multiple underage girls across the country to take cellphone videos and photos of themselves in sexually explicit positions.

According to evidence from the trial, Woodson Jr. also manipulated the children into giving him the passwords to their Snapchat accounts by pretending to be their friends on social media.

MORE:

• Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Orchestrating Snapchat Sextortion Ring that Targeted Children - U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida

• Virginia man sentenced 50 years for nationwide Snapchat child sexual exploitation ring - WDVM

• Virginia man sentenced 50 years for nationwide Snapchat child sexual exploitation ring - WGHP