Adult Sextortion:

Penal Code: 18 U.S.C. § 875(d)

Federal law makes it illegal to use interstate communications (such as text messages, email, social media, or online platforms) to threaten to harm a person's reputation or disclose damaging information in order to obtain money, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value. Violations may be prosecuted as felonies punishable by up to 2 years in federal prison.

Penal Code: 18 U.S.C. § 873

Federal law makes it illegal to demand money or another benefit in exchange for not revealing information about a crime or other harmful information. This statute may be used in some sextortion cases involving blackmail. Violations are punishable by up to 1 year in federal prison.

Minor sextortion:

Penal Code: 18 U.S.C. § 2251

Federal law makes it illegal to coerce, entice, or pressure a minor to create sexually explicit images or videos. Violations are serious federal felonies punishable by 15 to 30 years in federal prison for a first offense.

Online coercion of minors:

Penal Code: 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b)

Federal law makes it illegal to use the internet, text messages, or other interstate communications to persuade, entice, coerce, or attempt to coerce a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Violations are punishable by 10 years to life in federal prison.

Penal Code: Ala. Code § 13A-6-241

Alabama law makes it illegal to use threats to force or attempt to force another person to engage in sexual activity or to create nude or sexually explicit images or videos. Threats may involve harm to a person's body, property, or reputation. Sexual extortion is a Class B felony.

Alaska does not currently have a specific criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under other criminal laws, including coercion, harassment, extortion, child exploitation, or nonconsensual image-sharing statutes depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: A.R.S. § 13-1428 (Sexual Extortion)

Arizona law makes it illegal to knowingly threaten to cause physical injury, damage property, accuse someone of a crime, expose a secret, or take other harmful actions in order to force another person to engage in sexual conduct, provide sexual images, or allow sexually explicit depictions to be created. Sexual extortion is generally a felony, with penalties increasing when minors are involved.

Penal Code: Ark. Code § 5-14-113 (Sexual Extortion)

Arkansas law makes it illegal to threaten to damage a person's property or reputation, or to distribute nude or sexually explicit images of a person, in order to coerce that person into engaging in sexual contact or sexually explicit conduct. Sexual extortion is a felony offense under Arkansas law.

Penal Code: Cal. Penal Code § 518 (Extortion)

California law makes it illegal to use threats, fear, or coercion to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under California's extortion laws when a person threatens to disclose intimate images or information unless the victim complies with demands. Extortion is a felony punishable by up to 4 years in prison.

Penal Code: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-3-207 (Criminal Extortion)

Colorado law makes it illegal to use threats to force another person to provide money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value, or to compel someone to act against their will. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under Colorado's criminal extortion statute. Criminal extortion is generally a Class 4 felony.

Penal Code: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-192 (Coercion)

Connecticut law makes it illegal to use threats to compel another person to engage in conduct they otherwise would not perform or to refrain from lawful conduct. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under coercion, extortion, and related criminal statutes when threats are used to obtain sexual images, sexual acts, or other benefits. Coercion is a criminal offense under Connecticut law.

Penal Code: 11 Del. C. § 774

Delaware law makes it illegal to intentionally compel or induce another person to engage in sexual acts, produce sexually explicit images, expose intimate body parts, or provide other sexual content through threats or coercion. Sexual extortion is generally a Class E felony, but becomes a Class B felony in certain circumstances, including when the victim is a child or vulnerable adult.

Penal Code: Fla. Stat. § 836.05

Florida law makes it illegal to threaten to expose secrets, accuse someone of a crime, or otherwise harm a person's reputation in order to obtain money, sexual images, sexual acts, or any other benefit. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under Florida's extortion statute. Extortion is a second-degree felony.

Penal Code: O.C.G.A. § 16-8-16

Georgia law makes it illegal to threaten to accuse another person of a crime, expose a secret, or otherwise harm a person's reputation in order to obtain money, property, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under Georgia's theft by extortion statute. Theft by extortion is generally a felony.

Penal Code: HRS § 707-752

Hawaii law makes it illegal to compel or induce another person to engage in sexual conduct, produce sexual images, expose intimate body parts, or provide anything of value through threats, coercion, or intimidation. Sexual extortion is a Class C felony.

Penal Code: Idaho Code § 18-260

Idaho law makes it illegal to use threats, intimidation, or coercion to obtain money, property, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Sextortion cases are generally prosecuted under Idaho's extortion statutes. Extortion is a felony punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Illinois does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, intimidation, harassment, child exploitation, nonconsensual image-sharing, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Indiana does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under intimidation, extortion, child exploitation, nonconsensual image-sharing, or other criminal laws depending on the facts of the case.

Iowa does not currently have a standalone sextortion statute. Sextortion cases are generally prosecuted under extortion, harassment, stalking, invasion of privacy, or child exploitation laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: Iowa Code § 711.4 (Extortion)

Iowa law makes it illegal to use threats to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Extortion is generally a felony offense.

Penal Code: K.S.A. § 21-5428 (Sexual Extortion)

Kansas law makes it illegal to use threats, coercion, or intimidation to compel another person to engage in sexual conduct, expose intimate body parts, produce sexually explicit images, or provide sexual content. Sexual extortion is generally a severity level 5 person felony.

Penal Code: KRS § 531.125

Kentucky law makes it illegal to use threats involving physical harm, property damage, criminal accusations, reputational harm, or the disclosure of nude or sexually explicit images to coerce another person into engaging in sexual conduct, providing sexually explicit images, paying money, or performing another act against their will. Sexual extortion is generally a Class A misdemeanor, but may be charged as a Class D felony in certain circumstances.

Penal Code: La. R.S. § 14:66

Louisiana does not currently have a standalone sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Louisiana's extortion law, which makes it illegal to use threats, accusations, or other coercive means to obtain money, property, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Extortion is a felony punishable by 1 to 15 years imprisonment.

Penal Code: 17-A M.R.S. § 355

Maine does not currently have a standalone sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Maine's extortion law, which makes it illegal to use threats to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or other benefits from another person. Extortion is generally a Class C crime.

Penal Code: Md. Code, Crim. Law § 3-709

Maryland law makes it illegal to use threats involving physical harm, emotional distress, economic harm, property damage, criminal accusations, or reputational harm to compel another person to engage in sexual activity or create sexually explicit images or recordings. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Massachusetts does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, blackmail, stalking, harassment, child exploitation, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: MCL § 750.213

Michigan law makes it illegal to use threats, accusations, intimidation, or coercion to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under Michigan's extortion statute. Extortion is a felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Minnesota does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, coercion, stalking, harassment, child exploitation, or nonconsensual image-sharing laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Mississippi does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, blackmail, child exploitation, cyberstalking, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Missouri does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, coercion, stalking, harassment, child exploitation, or nonconsensual image-sharing laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Montana does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under intimidation, extortion, stalking, harassment, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances. Montana does have laws addressing nonconsensual dissemination of intimate images, but not a clearly defined standalone sextortion offense.

Penal Code: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-513

Nebraska does not currently appear to have a dedicated sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Nebraska's extortion law, which makes it illegal to obtain money, property, or another thing of value through threats or coercion. Depending on the circumstances, related offenses involving threats to distribute intimate images may also apply.

Penal Code: Nev. Rev. Stat. § 207.190 (Coercion)

Nevada does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Nevada's coercion laws when a person uses threats, intimidation, or force to compel another person to provide sexual images, engage in sexual conduct, pay money, or comply with other demands. Coercion is generally a felony offense.

Penal Code: N.H. Rev. Stat. § 637:5

New Hampshire does not appear to have a standalone sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under theft by extortion when someone uses threats involving harm, criminal accusations, exposure of private information, or reputational damage to obtain property, money, images, sexual content, or another benefit.

Penal Code: N.J. Stat. § 2C:14-9.1

New Jersey law makes it illegal to coerce someone into sexual contact, exposing intimate parts, or creating sexual images by threatening harm to the person, property, or reputation, or by threatening to disclose sexual images or recordings. Sexual extortion is a third-degree crime, and aggravated sexual extortion is a second-degree crime.

Penal Code: N.M. Stat. § 30-16-9

New Mexico does not appear to have a standalone sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, which makes it illegal to communicate threats to obtain money, property, images, sexual content, or another benefit. Extortion is a third-degree felony.

Penal Code: N.Y. Penal Law § 135.60

New York law makes it illegal to coerce someone into producing, sharing, or displaying nude or sexual images by threatening physical harm, property damage, criminal accusations, exposure of secrets, reputational harm, or other harmful action. Coercion in the third degree is a Class A misdemeanor.

Penal Code: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-118.8

North Carolina law makes it illegal to knowingly threaten to disclose private, personal, or sexually explicit images or information in order to obtain money, property, services, sexual acts, sexual images, or anything of value from another person. Sexual extortion is generally a Class H felony.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

North Dakota does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, coercion, stalking, harassment, child exploitation, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: ORC § 2905.11 (Extortion)

Ohio law makes it illegal to use threats, intimidation, or coercion to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under Ohio's extortion statute. Extortion is generally a third-degree felony.

Penal Code: 21 Okla. Stat. § 1481

Oklahoma law makes it illegal to use threats, intimidation, or coercion to obtain money, property, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Sextortion cases are commonly prosecuted under Oklahoma's extortion laws. Extortion is a felony offense punishable by imprisonment and fines under Oklahoma law.

Penal Code: ORS § 163.275

Oregon law makes it illegal to compel another person to engage in conduct they have a legal right to refuse by threatening physical injury, property damage, criminal accusations, exposure of secrets, or other harmful actions. Sextortion cases may be prosecuted under Oregon's coercion statute when threats are used to obtain sexual images, sexual acts, money, or other benefits. Coercion is a Class C felony.

Penal Code: 18 Pa.C.S. § 2906

Pennsylvania law makes it illegal to compel another person to act against their will through threats involving criminal accusations, exposure of secrets, reputational harm, or other forms of coercion. Sextortion cases may be prosecuted under Pennsylvania's criminal coercion statute when threats are used to obtain sexual images, sexual acts, money, or other benefits. Criminal coercion is generally a misdemeanor of the second degree.

Penal Code: R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-64-3(e)

Rhode Island law makes it illegal to threaten to disclose a private sexually explicit image in order to obtain money, property, services, sexual acts, or any other benefit. This form of sextortion is a felony punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

South Carolina does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under blackmail, extortion, stalking, harassment, child exploitation, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

South Dakota does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, blackmail, stalking, harassment, child exploitation, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances. South Dakota does, however, have civil remedies for nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images.

Penal Code: Tenn. Code § 39-14-112

Tennessee does not currently have a standalone criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Tennessee's extortion law, which makes it illegal to use coercion to obtain property, services, an advantage, immunity, or other benefits from another person. Extortion is generally a Class D felony.

Penal Code: Tex. Penal Code § 21.18

Texas law makes it illegal to threaten, including through coercion or extortion, to commit certain sexual offenses or distribute intimate visual material in order to obtain intimate images, sexual conduct, money, property, services, or another benefit from another person. Sexual coercion is generally a state jail felony, with enhanced penalties for repeat offenses.

Penal Code: Utah Code § 76-5b-204

Utah law makes it illegal to use threats against a person's safety, property, reputation, or to threaten the distribution of intimate images in order to coerce someone into engaging in sexual conduct, providing sexually explicit material, or creating or sharing intimate images. Sexual extortion is generally a third-degree felony.

Penal Code: 13 V.S.A. § 1701

Vermont does not currently have a standalone criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Vermont's extortion law, which makes it illegal to use threats or coercion to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or other benefits from another person. Extortion is generally a felony offense.

Penal Code: Va. Code § 18.2-59.1

Virginia law makes it illegal to maliciously threaten injury, criminal accusations, exposure of information, or the dissemination of intimate images in order to coerce another person into providing money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value. Sexual extortion is generally a Class 5 felony.

Penal Code: No standalone sextortion statute identified

Washington does not currently appear to have a dedicated criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under extortion, coercion, cyber harassment, stalking, child exploitation, or other criminal laws depending on the circumstances.

Penal Code: W. Va. Code § 61-2-13

West Virginia does not currently have a standalone criminal sextortion statute. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under West Virginia's extortion law, which makes it illegal to obtain or attempt to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or other benefits through threats, intimidation, or coercion. Extortion is a felony offense.

Penal Code: Wis. Stat. § 943.30

Wisconsin law makes it illegal to use threats of injury, criminal accusations, exposure of information, reputational harm, or other coercive conduct to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or anything of value from another person. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Wisconsin's extortion statute. Extortion is generally a felony offense.

Penal Code: Wyo. Stat. § 6-2-402

Wyoming law makes it illegal to accuse or threaten to accuse another person of a crime, expose secrets, or otherwise threaten harm in order to obtain money, property, services, sexual images, sexual acts, or another benefit. Sextortion-related conduct may be prosecuted under Wyoming's blackmail statute. Blackmail is a felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.