ROCK HILL — A newly elected state House representative is looking to change state law after his teen son took his life when online scammers convinced him to send nude photos and then tried to extort him for money.
Brandon Guffey, a Republican from Rock Hill, wants to make sexual extortion a crime with a punishment of up to 30 years in prison.
Guffey said he hopes a bill he filed before the January legislative session will encourage other states to adopt harsher penalties for what’s known as sextortion and will eventually push social media companies and dating apps to take a closer look at how they can prevent minors from being extorted.
“This is not a partisan issue,” he said. “Everyone should want to protect our children.”
Gavin Guffey, 17, died by suicide this summer after being sexually extorted online. His father, S.C. Rep. Brandon Guffey, R-Rock Hill, is now fighting for a bill that would…
