Reps. John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming), Kara Hope (D-Holt) and Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) will hold a press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 10:30 a.m. on a bill package collectively known as “Jordan D’s Law.”
The legislation would combat the growing threat of online sextortion, which targets minors and vulnerable individuals. The legislation is named in memory of Jordan Demay, a 17-year-old from Marquette, who tragically took his own life in 2022 after falling victim to an online sextortion scheme.’
HB 5887, sponsored by Fitzgerald, establishes penalties for individuals who intentionally threaten to release sexually explicit material to coerce the victim into acting in a certain way or refrain from an act, with the intent to receive something of value or more sexually explicit material.
HB 5888, sponsored by Hope, outlines sentencing guidelines for sexual extortion and aggravated sexual extortion.
HB 5889, sponsored by Hill, mandates collaboration between local school districts, the Michigan Department of Education, Michigan State Police and the Department of Attorney General to implement educational policies on the new law. The boards of school districts, intermediate school districts and public school academies must implement a policy to educate these individuals on the sextortion law.
“People are becoming much more aware of this type of crime and that this is something that the FBI, Homeland Security and Michigan’s law enforcement wants you to know about and report it,” said FBI Detroit’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Rebecca Marriott.”
Comments