Woodbury Man Sentenced For Shocking Sextortion Scheme Against Minors

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- A Minnesota man will spend 30 years in prison for what authorities call a "massive sextortion scheme" involving young children.

Thirty-eight-year-old Timothy Gebhart of Woodbury has been sentenced for production and attempted production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and interstate communications with intent to extort.

The U.S. Attorney's office says that, for more than two years from 2021 to 2023, Gebhart used online platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to target minor children as young as 12 years old.  He used at least 66 different aliases to pose as a teenager to befriend his victims.  He'd then convince them to send him sexually explicit videos and photos.  He also sought out sexual encounters with his victims.  He would use the materials to threaten the victims, claiming to distribute them to classmates, friends, and family members.  He also would send his victims disturbing videos depicting violent deaths to shock them into compliance.