News Summary
A South Carolina man, Glenn Daeward Boyd, has been sentenced to 22.5 years for a sextortion scheme that led to the suicide of a victim in Kent County. Posing as a woman on a dating app, Boyd extorted explicit photos before threatening the victim, causing him to take his own life. Boyd’s criminal history includes severe charges, reflecting a troubling rise in sextortion cases, especially among minors. Federal authorities emphasize the need for awareness and caution in online interactions.
Grand Rapids, Michigan – A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for his involvement in a sextortion scheme that led to the tragic suicide of a Kent County man. Glenn Daeward Boyd, 36, received the sentence after being found guilty of multiple charges, including attempted extortion, stalking, and five counts of wire fraud during a court hearing in February 2025.
The charges against Boyd stemmed from incidents that occurred in 2023 when he posed as an adult woman on the dating app Plenty of Fish. The unnamed victim believed he was communicating with a real adult and, under the false pretense, requested explicit photos. Boyd exploited this trust by sending photos of an adult woman while falsely claiming they were child pornography and asserting he was a 15-year-old girl.
Boyd then threatened to report the victim to police, contact his family, and inform his employer if he did not comply with his demands for additional explicit material. Faced with intense humiliation and fear, the victim tragically broke his phone and subsequently took his own life.
Federal prosecutors argued for the maximum sentence, highlighting Boyd’s complete disregard for the victim’s life and the devastating impact of his actions. At the time of committing these offenses, Boyd was already serving a prison sentence for other serious crimes, including manslaughter and assault with intent to kill in South Carolina. His criminal history also includes previous convictions for assaulting a prison employee and conspiring to kill two men while incarcerated.
The sentencing memorandum revealed that Boyd had used sextortion techniques for over two years, targeting multiple victims during that period. This case adds to the escalating concerns regarding sextortion, particularly among vulnerable individuals, including minors. The FBI has reported alarming figures regarding online financial sextortion, indicating over 13,000 reports involving minors between October 2021 and March 2023, which have resulted in at least 20 suicides.
The FBI advises individuals to exercise caution with online interactions, especially when transitioning to less traceable communication platforms. They encourage victims of sextortion to report suspicious behaviors and seek help from trusted adults or local authorities.
This case shines a light on the dangerously rising trend of sextortion, which exploits the vulnerabilities of individuals, particularly younger ones. It underscores the importance of awareness and the necessity for preventive measures to protect potential victims from such heinous acts.
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Additional Resources
- Wood TV: Man gets 22 years in prison for deadly sextortion scheme
- Wikipedia: Sextortion
- Upper Michigan’s Source: Another man convicted in deadly sextortion ring linked to Marquette teen’s suicide
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Sexual Exploitation
- Fox 11 Online: Second man convicted of money laundering in sextortion scheme tied to UP teen’s suicide
- Google Search: Sextortion News
Author: STAFF HERE GRANDRAPIDS WRITER
GRAND RAPIDS STAFF WRITER The GRAND RAPIDS STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREGrandRapids.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Grand Rapids, Kent County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as ArtPrize, Festival of the Arts, and World of Winter. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and Grand Rapids Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in furniture, healthcare, and technology that power the local economy such as Steelcase, Spectrum Health, and Meijer. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREDetroitMI.com, HERENorthville.com, HERENovi.com, and HEREPlymouth.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Michigan's dynamic landscape.
