State Representative Pamela Carter announced on June 11 that House Bill 2666 has been signed into law, increasing penalties for adults who sexually extort Arizona teenagers online.
The new law upgrades sexual extortion from a class 3 felony to a class 2 felony when the offender is 18 years of age or older and knows or should have known the victim is 15, 16, or 17 years old. The legislation also requires that sentences in these cases be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed for sexual extortion.
“Adults are using social media to trap teenagers, demand explicit images, then threaten to expose them unless they pay up or comply,” Representative Pamela Carter said. “That is predatory criminal conduct, and Arizona is done tolerating it. If you are an adult who sextorts a 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old, you will face a class 2 felony and consecutive prison time. No probation. No deals. No easy way out. We are putting predators on notice and putting teeth in the law.”
Current statutes remain unchanged for younger victims; if the victim is under 15 years old, sexual extortion remains classified as a class 2 felony punishable under Arizona’s dangerous crimes against children sentencing provisions. HB 2666 received unanimous approval from both the Arizona House and Senate.
Carter was elected as a Republican to the Arizona State House in 2025 to represent the state’s fourth House District, replacing previous state representative Laura Terech, according to pamelacarter.com.
More information about this legislation can be found in the organization’s press release.
