Spartanburg man sentenced for role in military sextortion scheme

A 33-year-old Spartanburg man was sentenced to over five years in federal prison for his role in a military sextortion scheme operated out of the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC).

U.S. Attorney M. Rhett DeHart said Wendell Wilkins, who was serving a 12-year sentence in SCDC for attempted armed robbery, used smuggled smartphones to join dating sites and posed as young women and began communicating with military members.

Wilkens then sent nude photos of young women to military members while soliciting nude photos and other personal info in exchange. Wilkins, among others working at his direction, would then pose as the father of the young woman while claiming the young woman was underage and the military member was in possession of child pornography. Wilkins would then threaten to have military members arrested or dishonorably discharged unless they paid money.