An 18-year-old Peters Township High School graduate is facing charges after investigators say he exchanged sexual messages and nude photos with a 14-year-old from Washington.
Police arrested Alexander Scott on charges of corruption of minors and disseminating child sexual abuse material.
Investigators say Scott graduated from Peters Township High School this year.
The investigation began in June, just six months after another Peters Township senior was arrested on similar charges.
According to the criminal complaint, Washington police received a report of possible extortion involving a 14-year-old and began investigating.
The teenager told police he had exchanged nude photos with a man he met on Reddit.
Police said a forensic examination of the teenager’s phone uncovered sexual messages between the teen and multiple adult men on Snapchat.
Investigators said that is how they identified Scott.
Police said Scott told the victim not to save the photos, saying, “It’s child porn.”
Investigators also said Scott connected the 14-year-old with another adult and asked whether he could share the teenager’s online profile with “a friend who graduated from Peters Township High School.”
That man has not been identified.
The case comes as experts warn parents that sextortion involving children is a widespread problem that does not necessarily involve an adult stranger.
Amanda Goharian, a sextortion expert with the nonprofit Thorn, said children around the world are dealing with the threat of sexual exploitation and often are afraid to report it.
“This is not just an issue in Pennsylvania. This is impacting children globally, across the world. Kids are scared, fearful, worried about judgment, shame, that really inhibits their ability to come forward.”
Goharian said the number of reported cases likely understates the scope of the problem because many young people do not report what happened to them.
“What we also know is that young people who are experiencing sexual abuse and exploitation often don’t report what’s happened to them. When we look at the number and think, man, that’s alarming, the reality is this is a much more widespread issue.”
She said parents should also understand that sextortion does not always involve a stranger or an adult.
“The most common form of sextortion is actually taking place between two peers, between two similarly aged young people, as opposed to it being some big scary man or stranger.”
Last December, Peters Township senior class president Zachariah Meyers was arrested and accused of running a sextortion ring. He is awaiting trial.
Goharian said parents should talk with their children about what to do if someone demands a sexual image and threatens them online.
She said telling children simply not to take or share nude photos is no longer enough, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology.
“Parents often end the conversation with, ‘Don’t take or share a photo.’ By having that type of conversation, parents are leading the children to believe if I don’t take a photo this can never happen to me, and with AI and deepfake nudes we have already seen this happen and used against them,” she said. “So I think it’s really important to focus on the behavior and how the behavior makes their child feel.”
Parents in Peters Township are also discussing ways to protect their children online.
Abby Donolo, a Peters Township mother, said she is not sure whether the recent arrest is connected to the previous case.
“I am not sure if it is linked. There is the possibility it is a separate case, which is a little bit more scary.”
Donolo has encouraged parents to consider waiting until age 16 before giving their children a phone.
“We as parents have to rally together.”
She also urged parents to set boundaries and maintain open communication with their children.
“Don’t be afraid to tell your kids no. We have to protect them. We are their first line of defense — having an open line of communication with them, talking to them, sitting down together, protecting their minds and their hearts as well.”
Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said predators can hide behind social media and technology, but law enforcement will investigate all available avenues to try to ensure victims receive justice.
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