Virginia Man Sentenced For Sextortion Scheme Targeting More Than 100 Girls

Sunday, September 29, 2024, 10:15 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

PHILADELPHIA, PA.- On Thursday, September 26, 2024, Terrell Ashby, also known as “Jason Brandon,” 26, of Williamsburg, Virginia, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gerald McHugh to 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for engaging in a widespread “Sextortion” scheme that preyed on young women across the country.

     During Thursday’s hearing, Judge McHugh also ordered Ashby to pay $28,883.64 in restitution to his victims in the scheme.

     In April 2024, Ashby appeared before Judge McHugh and pleaded guilty to two counts of Cyber-Stalking, one of which resulted in serious bodily injury, and two counts of Extortion.

     According to U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and statements made in the court, from February 2020 through December 2020, Ashby engaged in a large-scale sextortion scheme that affected more than 100 young girls across the United States.

Ashby Targets Young Women On Social Media

     Ashby targeted the young girls based on their social media profiles. He systematically tricked the girls into participating in nude video chats with him or sending explicit photos of themselves by promising to pay them $70,000. Instead of paying them, Ashby secretly took screenshots during the nude video chats. He then used the sexually explicit images to extort money from the victims, threatening them that he would publicly post the images if they didn’t pay.

     Many of the victims succumbed and paid Ashby anywhere from $25 to $50 after receiving the extortion payments, he would continue to pressure them for months into paying him more. He created numerous shameful profiles on social media platforms using the victims’ identities and explicit photos. Ashby stalked the victims, continually sending them threatening messages that their page had been created and would be shared with friends and social media contacts.

One Victim Attempts Suicide

     In one instance, a girl who resided in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania was so distraught that she overdosed on her prescription medication and had to be rushed to the emergency room for treatment. Fortunately, she was able to successfully recovered from the incident. During her hospitalization, Ashby continued to harass her, advertising her explicit images to others using various social media accounts. Even months later, Ashby continued his harassment campaign on the victim.

     “Terrell Ashby was absolutely relentless in terrorizing these women online,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “It’s hard to understand what prompted and perpetuated his criminal cruelty. At the end of the day, though, we don’t really need to know why he did it. It’s more important to know where he’s headed for doing so, and that’s a federal prison for the next several years of his life. That’s a measure of justice for his many victims, but it will never erase all the harm done.”