Guthrie remembers local teen, speaks out against sextortion

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The tragic case of Hart County’s Elijah Heacock was remembered last week as Kentucky Congressman Brett Guthrie spoke out against online sextortion.

Guthrie is a chairman on the Energy and Commerce Committee and spoke out at a hearing aimed to examine online dangers.

Guthrie shared that he spoke with to the mother of Elijah Heacock, a 16-year-old who tragically took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scheme.

Now, Guthrie is advocating for the Take It Down Act, which would protect victims of real and deepfake “revenge pornography.”

This legislation would require websites to quickly remove such content upon notice from the victims within 48 hours.

That hearing will be tomorrow at 11 a.m., and News 40 will bring you the latest on where that act stands.