S. 3398: Stop Sextortion Act

This bill criminalizes threats to distribute child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. This practice is commonly referred to as sextortion. The bill also increases criminal penalties for related offenses that involve the use of child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress.

Specifically, the bill establishes new federal criminal offenses for threatening to distribute child pornography or a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct with intent to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. An offense, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit the offense, is subject to criminal penalties.

Additionally, the bill increases the maximum prison term for various offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children if those offenses involve the use of child pornography or a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct with intent to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.