Man Posed As Hingham Girl To Blackmail Boys For Nudes: Report

BOSTON — A Whitman man was arrested Tuesday after posing online as a teenage girl from Hingham to lure teen boys into sending him nude photographs, federal authorities said. Matthew Murphy, 22, was charged in federal court in Boston with two counts of sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, Murphy created a Snapchat account to force a middle school boy into sending nude photos. Federal agents told the Patriot Ledger Murphy pretended to be a Hingham girl between the ages of 12 and 17.

Federal agents said they gained access to parts of Murphy's Snapchat account and discovered he tried extorting several other minors in the area. Prosecutors said Murphy would threaten to expose the pictures online if they didn't continue sending them.

When police executed a search warrant at Murphy's home, he admitted the fake account was his, prosecutors said. Investigators found hundreds of photos and videos linked to Murphy's account, prosecutors said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said they are looking for other potential victims. Members of the public with questions or information about this matter should call 617-748-3274.

The charges carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years.