MIAMI, Fla. — Authorities say a South Florida teen was arrested for trying to extort a state senator for $5,000.
Jeremy Kamperveen, 19, of Plantation, was arrested last month and charged with extortion and cyberstalking, according to a Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
Kamperveen was arrested after he threatened to release what he said were sexually explicit photos of Senator Lauren Book.
The arrest report didn’t name the victim, but Senator Book released a statement Thursday saying the threatening messages had been sent to her.
“Three weeks ago, I became the victim of ongoing sexual harassment and extortion,” Book said. “I immediately notified law enforcement and began working closely with them to track those responsible for sending threatening and disturbing images and messages to my phone, including distorted, fake, and stolen images created in an effort to intimidate, threaten, and extort me.”
Book is chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus and a longtime advocate for victims of child abuse and sexual abuse. She leads a group called Lauren’s Kids.
After his arrest, Kamperveen confessed to sending messages and photos to Book and was charged with extortion and cyberstalking.
It is still unclear how he got the photos.
This investigation is still ongoing
