State Rep. Brian BeGole, chair of the House Government Operations Committee, this week led a hearing on a plan to ensure Michigan students and families are educated about the dangers of sextortion and the serious criminal penalties tied to the crime.

BeGole, R-Antrim Township, said House Bill 4848 would help raise awareness about a growing threat targeting young people online.

“Sextortion is a devastating crime that is destroying lives and targeting young people through social media,” BeGole said. “Having spent years in law enforcement as a sheriff, I take crimes against kids very seriously. Making sure students and families understand the risks, and the serious legal consequences for those who commit this crime, can help prevent tragedies and encourage victims to speak up.”

Sextortion involves threatening to release private or explicit images of a victim in order to demand money, additional images, or other things of value. Offenders may be peers, but many cases involve criminals contacting victims online and coercing them into sending explicit images before making threats.

Michigan law was updated in 2024 to establish felony penalties for sextortion, with prison sentences of up to 25 years or more if the victim is under 19 or suffers serious harm.

House Bill 4848 would require the Michigan Department of Education to notify school districts about sextortion laws and require districts to share that information with school employees, students, and parents. School boards would also hold at least one meeting each year to share educational materials from organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the FBI.

During the hearing, the committee heard heartbreaking testimony from two families who lost children to suicide after they were targeted in sextortion schemes, along with testimony from law enforcement officers supporting the bill.

“Hearing from the families was incredibly moving and heartbreaking,” BeGole said. “Their courage in sharing their stories puts a human face on this issue and reminds us why we must do everything we can to protect our kids.”