Summit County Sheriff’s Office urges serious warning due to increase in child exploitation cases

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — The Summit County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning about a troubling increase in online child exploitation cases targeting local minors through social media platforms.

According to authorities, predators typically initiate contact with children through social media, developing what appears to be a harmless friendship before steering conversations toward more intimate exchanges.

“What appears to be a young person is often an adult predator operating from overseas,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “These individuals solicit explicit photos from minors and then demand payment to prevent their distribution.”

Officials noted that even when victims pay thousands of dollars in ransom, the images are frequently shared regardless, compounding the harm to victims.

The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that perpetrators typically operate from outside U.S. jurisdiction, making prosecution difficult and leaving victims both financially damaged and emotionally traumatized.

While a recent case involved TikTok, authorities said similar exploitation has occurred across numerous social media platforms.

“The children involved in these incidents are victims of serious crimes,” the statement read. “Education is our strongest defense and best chance at prevention.”

Law enforcement officials urged parents to discuss online safety with their children, regularly check privacy settings, monitor social media use, and emphasize that explicit images should never be shared online regardless of the recipient’s perceived trustworthiness.

The Sheriff’s Office summed up their advice with a simple message for young people: “If you don’t want grandma to see it, don’t send it.”

Anyone suspecting their child may be a victim is encouraged to contact the Summit County Sheriff’s Office immediately.