If you are asking whether sextortion is illegal in Texas, you may be caught in a frightening situation right now, either as a target or as someone facing an accusation. Maybe a stranger online is threatening to share private images unless you pay. Maybe your child came to you in a panic. Or maybe you are the one under investigation and unsure how serious it is. It is normal to feel scared and overwhelmed, because these cases move fast and the stakes are high. Sextortion is a serious crime in Texas, and understanding the law is the first step toward protecting yourself or your family. At McCarty-Larson, PLLC, we help people on both sides of these cases across Ellis County, Johnson County, Tarrant County, and Dallas County. This guide explains what sextortion is, how Texas punishes it, and what to do next.
When you choose McCarty-Larson, you’re choosing a legal team that will stand by you every step of the way.
The Short Answer
Yes, sextortion is illegal in Texas. It is charged under the sexual coercion law and is a felony. Sextortion happens when someone threatens to share private sexual images, or to commit another offense, unless the victim provides money, more images, or sexual acts. When a minor is involved, the case often becomes a federal crime with far harsher penalties.
What Is Sextortion?
Sextortion is a form of blackmail. Someone gets a private, sexual image or video of another person, then threatens to share it unless the victim gives them what they want. The demand is usually money, more explicit images, or sexual acts. The word sextortion is the common name for the crime. In Texas law, it is charged as sexual coercion.
These schemes often start in ways that seem harmless. A stranger poses as a romantic interest online and builds trust before turning to threats. Someone hacks into a phone or account and steals private photos. Or an image shared willingly during a relationship later becomes a weapon. However it begins, the crime is the threat used to control the victim.
A newer twist makes this even more dangerous. Scammers now use artificial intelligence to create fake explicit images of a person, then threaten to release them even though the victim never sent a real photo. You can read more about how Texas treats these fakes in our guide on whether making a deepfake is illegal in Texas.
Sextortion is different from revenge porn, which is the actual sharing of private images. With sextortion, the crime is the threat itself and the demand that comes with it, whether or not any image is ever released.
Is Sextortion Illegal in Texas?
Yes. Texas prosecutes sextortion under the sexual coercion statute, Section 21.18 of the Penal Code. A person breaks this law by threatening, through coercion or extortion, to commit a sexual offense or to release intimate images, in order to obtain images, sexual conduct, or money. Texas created this law in 2017 and expanded it in 2025 to cover more situations.
The law reaches threats made in any form. It does not matter whether the threat comes by text, email, social media, a chat app, or in person. If someone uses a threat to pressure another person into sending images, performing sexual acts, or paying money, that conduct can be charged as sexual coercion in Texas.
Penalties for Sextortion in Texas
Sextortion is a felony in Texas. A basic sexual coercion charge is a state jail felony, which carries 180 days to two years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000. If the person has a prior sexual coercion conviction, the charge rises to a third-degree felony, punishable by two to ten years in prison.
The stakes climb much higher when a minor is involved. In those cases, the conduct often moves into federal court and can bring charges like production of child pornography or coercion of a minor. These federal crimes carry years or even decades in prison and lifelong sex-offender registration. Federal cases also tend to move fast, with agents seizing phones and computers early, so anyone under investigation should speak with a lawyer before answering questions. This is why cases involving anyone under 18 are treated with the greatest seriousness by both state and federal authorities.
What to Do If You or Your Child Is Targeted
Sextortion has spread quickly, especially among teenagers. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received hundreds of thousands of reports in a single recent year. Many of these schemes are purely about money, and scammers using fake profiles often target teenagers, especially boys, demanding payment and threatening to send the images to their friends and family. The pressure on young victims can feel unbearable, which is exactly why no one should face this alone, and why fast action matters.
The most important thing to know is that paying rarely ends it. Once a victim sends money or more images, the demands almost always continue, because the person now knows the threats are working. Cutting off contact is far safer than trying to satisfy the demands.
If you or your child is targeted, a few steps can make a real difference. Do not pay, and do not send anything more. Save everything, including messages, usernames, and screenshots, since that evidence helps investigators. Block the person, then tell a trusted adult or reach out for help right away. Report the situation to local law enforcement, to the FBI, and to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through its CyberTipline. You have done nothing wrong by being a victim, and help is available.
Defenses to a Sextortion Charge in Texas
An accusation is not a conviction. These cases often involve digital evidence that is far messier than it first appears, and several defenses may apply depending on the facts.
It was not you. Online accounts get hacked, spoofed, and shared. If the state cannot prove you sent the threats, the case can fall apart.
No threat or intent. Sexual coercion requires a real threat made to obtain something. A misunderstanding or a message taken out of context may not meet that standard.
Illegal search. If police obtained your phone or messages through an unlawful search, that evidence may be thrown out.
Mistaken identity. Investigations that rely on IP addresses and usernames sometimes point to the wrong person entirely.
Because the penalties are so severe, having a lawyer review the evidence early is the best way to protect your future.
How McCarty-Larson Can Help
If you are facing a sextortion or sexual coercion accusation in Texas, you need a defense team that understands both state and federal law. Robin McCarty and the team at McCarty-Larson, PLLC bring a background as former prosecutors and law enforcement officers, so we know how these cases are built and where they can break down. Here is how we help:
- Review the digital evidence and challenge how it was gathered
- Defend both state sexual coercion charges and related federal charges
- Protect the rights of juveniles caught up in these cases through our Texas juvenile defense lawyers
- Question whether the state can actually prove who sent the threats
- Guide your family through a frightening and fast-moving process
- We serve clients across Ellis County, Johnson County, Tarrant County, and Dallas County
Contact McCarty-Larson Today
Sextortion cases move quickly and carry life-changing consequences, so acting early is the best way to protect yourself. Contact McCarty-Larson, PLLC today for a free, confidential consultation. Our Texas criminal defense attorneys are ready to stand by you every step of the way.