COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Tuesday for sexually exploiting and extorting over 25 victims, many of them underage girls, across multiple states.
Lorenzo A. Winfield, 23, targeted students at his former high school, Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA), where he was known as the “ACPA Hacker.” Using social media platforms like Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype, and Google Hangouts, Winfield coerced victims into sending nude photos and videos, threatening to distribute the images if they didn’t comply.
The 324-month sentence was handed down in U.S. District Court after Winfield pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting minors, possessing child pornography, and interstate extortion.
“Acts of sextortion are devastating,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of Winfield’s crimes and our commitment to holding perpetrators accountable.”
Winfield’s victims were primarily young girls, some as young as 11. In addition to his targets in Ohio, he also exploited victims in Virginia and Texas.
The FBI investigated the case, working with law enforcement agencies in the affected states.