Southern Minnesota Connection to Federal Sextortion Case

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a Minnesota man accused of coercing juveniles to produce child pornography.

The US Attorney for Minnesota says 37-year-old Timothy Lennard Gephardt faces two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with the intent to extort.

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It is alleged the Woodbury man coerced a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing pornographic videos. It is further alleged that Gephardt distributed the videos using a computer and cell phone and then used the videos to extort money and other items of value from one of the juvenile victims.

Prosecutors say threatened to damage the victim's reputation by sending nude photos and videos to family and friends.

The charges are the result of a joint investigation by the Woodbury Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff's Office in Indiana, the Indiana State Police, the FBI, along with assistance from the Owatonna Police Department.