Chief: Online predator may have 50 victims

When the small Clearcreek Township Police Department was contacted by Wisconsin authorities in January, they had no idea they would be investigating an online sexual predator with victims all over the globe.

Nicholas Kurtz, 21, was arraigned Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Cincinnati on two counts of coercion and enticement, federal court records show.

Beginning in 2013, Kurtz is accused of using threats and humiliation to coerce teenage girls – who were between 12 and 15 – to send him the photos and videos online, according to an FBI affidavit.

Investigators said the suspect blackmailed and threatened the teens so they would perform sexual acts for him on camera, sometimes going as far as convincing them to dress for school each day while he watched using Skype and other services.

The federal indictment shows five victims, but Clearcreek Township Police Chief John Terrill said his investigators found as many as 50 victims when they searched Kurtz's computer and electronic devices.

These potential victims are from all over the United States, and some live overseas, Terrill said.

Terrill has worked on several of these cases during his long law enforcement career. "This is one of the most over-the-top ones I've ever seen," he said.

Terrill said one victim felt forced to mutilate herself on camera for disobeying the suspect, which set this case apart from others he's worked on.

He explained that the Internet allows pedophiles to exchange tricks and tips to better control their victims.

"They get pretty darn good at it," he said.

Despite the seriousness of these cases, Terrill explained they take a very long time to work through.

"The man hours are tremendous," he said, explaining that his department worked with the FBI, the Warren County Forensics Unit and other agencies near potential victims.

The investigation took months to complete as thousands of texts, pictures, messages and emails were sorted through. Agents were required to travel to at least five different states to interview the teens.

Terrill said his department and others are still investigating the case, and he's asking anyone else who thinks they may have had contact with Kurtz to come forward.

Kurtz was living with his parents when police executed a search warrant in January and seized his devices, but Terrill said he may have had access to other computers or phones they haven't found.

As Terrill investigates these cases, he warns parents to watch for signs of their children's demeanor changing. He said victims will often have declining grades and pull away from activities.

"It's just a nightmare," he said.