Police arrest Texas man attempting to blackmail Naperville teen over explicit photos
A Texas man was arrested earlier this month following a sextortion investigation involving a teen in Naperville.
Cody D. Ratliff, 39, of Kerrville, Texas, was arrested on Feb. 9 and was charged with a felony count of intimidation.
The department said in February 2023, a male juvenile reported to Naperville police that he had sent explicit photos of himself online to someone pretending to be a 16-year-old girl, who then threatened to release the photos publicly unless he sent electronic payments.
Detectives learned that after receiving the explicit photos from the teen, the offender allegedly located the victim's friends and family on social media and threatened to send them the photos. The juvenile paid the suspect, who kept demanding more payments.
The investigation led detectives to Ratliff, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The department said he was then taken to Illinois, processed at the Naperville Police Department, and later taken to the DuPage County Jail.
"Victims often comply with the offender's demands for money or more pictures because they're scared or embarrassed. They try to make the problem go away, but compliance rarely ends the victimization," said Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres. "Report it, and we will do everything we can to hold individuals accountable and prevent them from victimizing others, just like we did in this case."
Naperville police advise anyone who may be in a similar situation to contact them at 630-4250-6666. More information for teens and parents is available through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
