Substitute Teacher From Carver Faces Charges For Alleged 'Sextortion'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 25-year-old substitute teacher from Carver is accused of requesting sexually explicit images of minors and threatening to release those photos in order to acquire more.

Mitchell Ottinger is charged with two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography and two counts of making extortionate threats, according to the United States Attorney's Office.

The attorney's office said Ottinger posed as a young girl online, using fake accounts to encourage minors and one adult to send sexually explicit pictures and videos to him.

If one of the targets blocked or ignored Ottinger, the attorney's office alleges he would threaten to publish the images unless additional images were sent. Authorities said this is sometimes called "sextortion."

Ottinger is in custody and his first court date is scheduled for Friday. If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, the attorney's office said.