UPD Beat: Student Faces Instagram Sextortion

Jenna Hackeman, Staff Writer

UPD received a call Jan. 17 concerning a male individual on campus with a clipboard asking students to do a survey. The caller told UPD he found it strange they would be on campus at 6:45 a.m. asking about surveys. An officer searched the area but did not find anyone matching the description, according to the report.

An individual made a call to UPD Jan. 18 to report a gray Hyundai 4D with a covered plate and a masked male individual. According to the report, the vehicle’s trunk was open against two other vehicles. UPD passed the information to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office due to recent thefts at Target.

On Jan. 23, LCSO called UPD to advise there were unidentified individuals walking behind Building W in North Lake Village with AR15’s. After canvassing the area, officers were able to track down three individuals who admitted to having a pellet gun, according to the report. The individuals were detained to provide statements and the pellet guns were turned over to UPD property.

A female student called UPD on Jan. 18 to report a blue pickup truck driving slowly around North Lake Village. The female student told UPD that when she exited her vehicle, the truck parked and seemed to be staring at her. Officers searched the area but did not find a vehicle matching the description.

A male student came to the UPD office on Jan. 25 to report an individual he met on Instagram  and was sending explicit images of himself to. According to the report, the male student told UPD that the individual was threatening to send the explicit images to his Instagram followers unless he sent the individual $1000. UPD completed a sworn statement with the male student.