A Montgomery County, Maryland, man is accused of tricking women or girls into sending him intimate photos of themselves, and then threatening to distribute the pictures unless the victims have sex with him.
It’s a crime known as sextortion.
Police said Michael Cooper, 22, of Germantown, would pose on various social media platforms as someone named Rebecca Lattimore, using the handles “beccalattimore”, “rebeccalostsc” or variations of them.
Once he convinced victims to share photos or videos with him, he would reveal that he’s really a man and threaten to share the photos with victims’ families, employers and others unless he got what he wanted.
Police said they know of six people he targeted but think there may be more.
Cooper was arrested last Sunday after police said one of his victims agreed to meet him in person. She told him she would engage in sex acts with him if he agreed to delete nude photos of her.
But once the two were face to face she refused to go along with the plan, and he threatened her with a knife.
Police said Cooper then tried to run away, but the victim’s boyfriend — who had also come to the area — subdued Cooper until police could arrive and take him into custody.
Cooper is being held without bond.
Anyone who thinks they may have been in contact with Cooper is urged to call Montgomery County police at 240-773-6254.
