KENT COUNTY, Mich. — A man from South Carolina has been charged in the death of a Kent County resident. Officials say the death was caused by sextortion over a two-day period in August 2023.
Glenn Daeward Boyd, 35, of Kershaw, South Carolina, is charged with seven counts: engaging in attempted extortion, stalking and five counts of wire fraud.
According to his indictment from the U.S. District Attorney's Office in Western Michigan, Boyd posed as an 18-year-old woman on a dating site and sent a nude photo to a victim, a Kent County resident.
Boyd told later told the victim he was actually a 15-year-old girl. Then, posing as the 15-year-old's grandparents, told the victim they would report him as a pedophile to his family, friends and the police unless paid.
The victim died by suicide as a result, the indictment states.
“Nationally and here in Michigan we have seen a startling increase in the number of sextortion crimes – like we have alleged here – that result in the victim’s death,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We are fully committed to holding perpetrators of these crimes accountable. At the same time, I strongly urge everyone who carries a device or is active online to remain aware that criminals constantly troll the internet and social media, to not assume people are who they say they are, and to know that if you make a mistake, law enforcement is eager and ready to help.”
The FBI shares tips on how people can protect themselves or loved ones from sextortion schemes:
- Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
- Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
- Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
- Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and this person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
- Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
- Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone.
If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov.
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