Man indicted, preyed on minors online

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A Michigan man has been indicted on charges he preyed on young girls across western New York.

James Allen, 36, of New Baltimore, MI is charged with 18 counts of cyberstalking and five counts of producing child pornography. The U.S. Attorney's office says over a two-month period in the summer of 2012, Allen used the internet and text messages to talk to at 18 minors throughout western New York in an effort to obtain pornographic images of them.

Allen allegedly utilized a scheme where he would tell the girl he had already found naked pictures of the them online. Authorities say he would then direct the girl to a website to view the pictures, and in reality, the website was used to obtain the girl's e-mail address and password.

Once he had this information, agents say Allen would take control of the victim's e-mail account and blackmail them into video chatting with him via Skype, threatening to release naked pictures of them unless they complied. Once on Skype, Allen would allegedly threaten his victim into taking off their clothes and engaging in sexual conduct.

If convicted of cyberstalking, Allen faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. For the production of child pornography charges, Allen would faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, if he is convicted.