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U.S. man who blackmailed Canadian girl to strip online gets prison sentence

Aug 12, 2016 | 2:12 PM

TRENTON, N.J. — A New Jersey man who blackmailed a Canadian girl to strip naked online is going to prison.

A judge on Friday sentenced 32-year-old Michael Van Culin of Upper Pittsgrove Township to 10 years in prison for manufacturing child pornography. He’ll be eligible for parole in 8 1/2 years.

Van Culin admitted he recorded the 16-year-old while she stripped on her webcam.

Prosecutors say he had engaged in online chats with her in which he elicited information about her life that he used to hack into her email account and get other personal information.

Van Culin threatened to expose personal information about her to her family.

Prosecutors say he had stalked three other girls and coerced them into sending explicit photos of themselves.

The Associated Press

©2016 The Canadian Press