House Bill 1196 is also known as “Walker’s Law” in memory of Walker Montgomery, who was 16 years old when he took his own life. The teenager was pulled in by a late-night text message from a teen girl who was actually an overseas extortionist.
The teen’s father, Brian Montgomery, tells AFN there are laws on the books that protect minors from sexual extortion but they are often vaguely written.
“Walker's Law really was an attempt to specify, in the state of Mississippi, sextortion as a crime,” he says.
Gov. Tate Reeves has signed the bill into law after it passed without opposition in the House and Senate.
In addition to recognizing sextortion as a criminal offense, a second portion of the law recognizes aggravated sexual extortion if the victim suffers bodily harm, or death, as a result of extortion.
The new law, which goes into effect July 1, also requires minors to get a parent’s permission for setting up a social media account.
Reflecting on his son’s life, the father wanys people to remember his son for who he was and not for the trap he fell into online.
“And we understand that God is going to work through this in a way that brings glory to Him, and that other kids can be protected,” Brian Montgomery says. “So this is important for us, for our family, to see that happen."
