FBI Releases Preadator's Screen Names, Seeks Victims in International 'Sextortion' Case

By LIZ TAURASI (Patch Staff)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking the public’s assistance to identify victims of convicted online predator Lucas Michael Chansler.

Chansler, 31, formerly of St. Johns, FL, was sentenced to 105 years in federal prison for engaging in an extortion scheme to produce child pornography. On Aug. 13, 2014, he pleaded guilty to nine counts of producing child pornography.

According to court testimony, Chansler targeted 350 minor victims in 26 different states throughout the United States, three Canadian provinces, and the United Kingdom. In all, 109 victims have been positively identified, three of whom are in the metro Detroit area.

The FBI is working to identify Chansler’s remaining victims. He had a list of 135 known screen names from various web sites, including Myspace, Stickham, and AIM that he used while sexually extorting victims. You can view the list on the FBI’s website.

Court documents show that Chansler threatened hundreds of teen girls over the Internet, officials say, with the intent to extort photographs and webcam videos showing them exposing themselves and engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Chansler pretended to be a friend, acquaintance, or admirer of the victims on various social networking websites.

After gaining some measure of trust from a particular victim, Chansler would invite her to engage in a live video chat, and later would ask her to expose herself. Unbeknownst to the victim, he was recording the video session. Chansler often enticed his victims to expose themselves by showing a streaming video of a minor male exposing himself or engaging in sexually explicit behavior. If a victim did expose herself, he recorded it, and then demanded additional and more graphic images or webcam videos. He would inform the victim that if she did not comply, he would distribute the images and videos online, or send them to her family and friends.

Using information received from the parents of one victim and working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), agents were able to identify Chansler and locate his residence. A federal search warrant was executed at the residence on Jan. 8, 2010.

During an interview, Chansler stated that he used social networking sites to meet girls who ranged in age from 13 to 18. He stated that he targeted underage girls because adult women were “too smart” to fall for his scheme.

Forensic analysis of Chansler’s computer media revealed hundreds of folders labeled with the name of each victim. These folders contained personal information specific to the victims, as well as related chat logs and videos or digital photos. Many of the chat logs contained the threats Chansler had made to the victims. In several of the videos, the victims are seen crying and pleading with Chansler. In total, he had approximately 80,000 images and videos in his possession.

Assistant Director Joseph S. Campbell explains, “ ’Sextortion’ is a growing threat both domestically and internationally. The devastating impact of these crimes on the victims, their families, and friends cannot be ignored. The FBI is committed to using our resources and leveraging law enforcement partnerships around the world to identify and arrest these criminals.” “This case serves as an example that children anywhere can be targeted for sextortion and that the FBI remains committed to stopping this cycle of victimization and holding the criminals accountable,” said AD Campbell.

“I’m proud of the young girl and her parents for taking a stand against sexual exploitation by submitting the information to NCMEC’s Cyber Tipline,” said Linda Krieg, NCMEC’s acting CEO. “That one CyberTipline report, through the FBI’s investigation, turned out to be the tip of the iceberg involving a sophisticated child predator, who allegedly victimized hundreds of children.”

If you have information that may help identify victims of Lucas Michael Chansler or believe you have been victimized by him, learn more and complete a confidential questionnaire at www.FBI.gov/Sextortion. You can also send a confidential email to FBI.VICTIMASSISTANCE@IC.FBI.GOV, contact the FBI’s Boston Division at 1-617-742-5533 or call toll-free at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).