By Kendall McGee | January 27, 2020 at 3:25 PM EST – Updated January 27 at 3:28 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A North Carolina man will serve time in prison after he posed as a female modeling scout and solicited photos of at least 14 young women across the state.
Kevin Allen Kerney of Randolph County pleaded guilty to three counts of felony extortion and three counts of cyber stalking in New Hanover County superior court Monday.
Authorities say two of the victims were students at UNCW.
A press release from Ben David’s office says after Kerney received photos from the young women in “various states of dress and undress,” he threatened to distribute the photos to their family and friends if they didn’t send photos of an even more revealing nature.
“The defendant tricked the victims into feeling comfortable that they were dealing with a female who worked in the modeling industry. As soon as he obtained what he wanted, he attempted to force them to give him additional photographs or to be embarrassed. These young women were brave enough to come forward to make sure Mr. Kerney could not do this to anyone else,” said assistant district attorney Connie Jordan in a press release.
Kerney committed similar offenses in Guilford, Montgomery and Alamance counties. Earlier this month, he pleaded guilty to offenses in Guilford County.
Kerney will serve a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 25 months in prison for the three cases he pleaded guilty to in New Hanover County. When released from prison, Kerney will be on supervised probation, will have to undergo mental health and sexual offender specific mental health examinations and comply with all treatment recommendations, he will have to abstain from social media, and have no contact with the witnesses or their families.
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