A 53-year-old Middletown man who pretended to be a teenager online and coerced numerous girls − including a 10 year old − into creating sexually explicit images and videos has pleaded guilty to federal charges, officials said.
William Scott Elam is 5-foot-7 and 125 pounds. He has graying hair and a long, mostly gray beard.
But beginning in at least 2022, according to court documents, Elam used online messaging apps like Discord to coerce, or try to coerce, the girls into engaging in sexual acts on live video calls with him. He often would not show his face.
Law enforcement has identified at least 10 victims in seven states, officials said.
In an interview with investigators, Elam estimated that he had chatted with 50 females on Discord, including about 20 who were under the age of 18.
One of the girls believed that he was a 14-year-old boy named “Scott Jackson.” The girl, who was 12, told investigators that he would force her into performing sex acts on live video by telling her that he would “log off Discord and cut himself,” court documents say.
He also threatened to show the girl’s mom their sexually explicit chat conversations if she didn’t perform additional sex acts on live video.
Prosecutors say Elam instructed another girl − who told him about her history of self-harm − to cut herself on video.
In one chat included in court documents, Elam tells the girl: “Maybe cut ya thigh … for me.”
Elam pleaded guilty July 15 in federal court in Cincinnati to 11 child exploitation counts. The plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 26 years in prison.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: At least 10 victims in 7 states: Middletown man coerced girls into online sex acts
Reporting by Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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