Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty in Teen Sexstortion Case

Timothy Lennard Gebhart, a 38-year-old resident of Woodbury, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges including child pornography production and extortion. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office of Minnesota, Gebhart's criminal activities took place between July 2021 and March 2022. His guilty plea was submitted in U.S. District Court in St. Paul on Tuesday.

The investigation leading to his arrest involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Woodbury Police Department, the Greene County, Indiana Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police, the FBI, and the Owatonna Police Department. Court documents reveal that Gebhart coerced two minors, aged 14 and 16, into engaging in sexually explicit conduct to create pornographic videos.

In addition to producing and distributing child pornography, Gebhart is accused of using the videos to extort the 16-year-old victim. He allegedly threatened to share the explicit content with the victim's family and friends unless they provided him with money and other valuables.

Resources are available for individuals affected by sexual assault, such as the RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) hotline at 800-656-HOPE (800-656-4673).

Gebhart is currently awaiting sentencing, which is expected to take place at a later date. The terms of the conviction include a mandatory minimum prison sentence of at least 15 years.