Creator of Revenge-Porn Site Faces Prison Time

A 27-year-old California man might have just earned the distinction of being the first person busted for operating a revenge-porn site. Kevin Bollaert got arrested today and faces up to 22 years in prison on charges that include extortion and identity theft, reports Reuters. Police say Bollaert had a one-two punch: He solicited explicit photos to be posted on his now-defunct UGotPosted website, then charged women up to $350 to have their images removed via a companion website, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

What's more, Bollaert demanded that anyone who posted an image on the revenge-porn site also had to post the subject's full name, location, and Facebook link. Scores of women reported being stalked online as a result. And many say it wasn't their exes who posted the images but someone who hacked into their email or phone. California recently enacted the first law in the nation to crack down on revenge porn, though it is specifically tailored to go after those who post the images. Because Bollaert didn't do the actual posting, he didn't get charged under that law. (More revenge porn stories.)