Gov. Youngkin signs ‘sextortion’ bill into law

GovernorGlennYoungkinhassignedDelegateWendellWalker’s‘sextortion’billintolaw,strengtheningprotectionsagainstsexualextortionintheCommonwealth. “Today’ssigningsendsapowerfulmessagethatthosewhoexploitandmanipulateothersfortheirowngaininVirginiawillfaceseriousconsequences,”saidDelegateWalker.“Nooneshouldeverhavetochoosebetweenaroofovertheirheadandtheirdignity.IamdeeplygratefulforLynchburgCommonwealth’sAttorneyBethanyHarrisonforherinvaluableassistanceincraftingandpassingthislegislation.” Thenewlawclassifiesmaliciousthreatsofeviction,financialloss,orpropertydamageusedtocoercesexualactsasaClass5felony.Itspecificallytargetslandlordsorpropertymanagerswhopressuretenantsbythreateningtheirhousing. Additionally,thelawalsoincreasespenaltiesforadultscommittingtheseactsagainstminors,withsentencesrangingfromoneto20yearsandfinesupto$100,000. “Byclosingtheseloopholes,weareprotectingsomeofourmostvulnerablecitizens,”saidLynchburgCommo