Woodbury Man Charged With Child 'Sextortion' Scheme

WOODBURY, MN — A Woodbury man has been indicted for the production and possession of child pornography and coercing minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced.

Timothy Lennard Gebhart, 37, faces two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort.

Gebhart made his initial appearance on June 21 in U.S. District Court.

On multiple occasions between approximately July 10, 2021, and March 11, 2022, Gebhart coerced a 16-year-old child and a 14-year-old child, to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce pornographic videos, investigators said.

After obtaining the images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, Gebhart distributed the videos via computer and cellular phone, according to authorities.

Gebhart then used the pornographic videos to extort money and other items of value from the 16-year-old, threatening to damage the victim’s reputation by sending nude photos and videos to their family and friends, investigators said.

This case was a result of an investigation by the Woodbury Police Department, Greene County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police, and the FBI, with assistance from the Owatonna Police Department.