South Carolina Combats Prison Sextortion with New Laws, Technology, and Public Warnings

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina inmate using a contraband cell phone to extort a young Michigan man who later died by suicide has reignited national urgency to stop the flow of illegal phones into prisons—and protect vulnerable individuals from online predators. The case has led to a multi-pronged push involving new state legislation, federal proposals, advanced technology, and public education campaigns.

Tragedy Sparks Reform

Perry Dwayne Pickett, an inmate at Lee Correctional Institution, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in June after prosecutors said he led a sextortion scheme targeting men across the country. Using a smuggled phone, Pickett posed as a woman online and lured victims into sharing intimate photos. He and his accomplices then pretended to be law enforcement officers and demanded payments to avoid criminal charges. One victim, 25-year-old Jordan Wiggins of Michigan, took his own life after falling prey to the scam.

The incident highlighted the growing dangers of contraband phones in prison and the real-world consequences of digital abuse. Lawmakers and law enforcement officials are now responding with urgency.

Fighting Back: The Captain Robert Johnson Act

In October 2024, Governor Henry McMaster signed the Captain Robert Johnson Act, named for a South Carolina corrections officer who survived an assassination attempt ordered by an inmate using a contraband phone. The law increases penalties for possessing or smuggling unauthorized cell phones and expands correctional officers’ ability to confiscate them.

“Illegal cell phone use in prisons is not a convenience issue—it’s a public safety threat,” McMaster said. “These devices allow criminals to continue victimizing people on the outside.”

Federal and Technological Solutions

While some have called for signal jamming, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has warned that cell phone jammers are both illegal and dangerous, as they can interfere with public safety communications and 9-1-1 calls.

Instead, the FCC promotes “inmate call capture” technology, which intercepts unauthorized calls without blocking legitimate ones. The technology works like a cellular base station, allowing approved calls to go through and rejecting illegal ones. In a one-month pilot in Mississippi, the system stopped over 216,000 unauthorized calls.

Federal lawmakers are also stepping in. U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), James Lankford (R-OK), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) have introduced legislation to allow state prisons to legally deploy signal management technologies to prevent inmate abuse of mobile networks.

Senator Graham has been a vocal supporter of this initiative since visiting Lee Correctional after a deadly 2018 riot, which was organized via smuggled cell phones.

Gavin’s Law: Targeting Sextortion Head-On

In 2023, South Carolina passed another landmark law in the fight against digital exploitation: Gavin’s Law, named in honor of 17-year-old Gavin Guffey, who died by suicide after being sextorted by an online predator.

The law makes sextortion—a crime where someone is coerced into sending explicit content under threat of exposure—a felony. If the victim is a minor or suffers bodily injury, it becomes an aggravated felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Gavin’s Law also requires public schools to educate students, parents, and staff about the dangers of sextortion.

Together, the Captain Robert Johnson Act and Gavin’s Law represent a powerful one-two punch—cutting off the tools used for these crimes and holding offenders accountable.

FBI’s Warning: Know the Signs of Sextortion

As cases of sextortion grow nationally—many launched by inmates or overseas scammers—the FBI has issued renewed warnings and prevention tips:

• Be selective about what you share online. Open social media accounts reveal a lot to predators.
• Be cautious of strangers. Block or ignore unsolicited messages.
• Don’t be fooled by photos or videos—identities can be faked.
• Watch for red flags, such as being asked to switch apps or platforms.
• Assume permanence—nothing shared digitally ever truly disappears.
• Speak up—report suspicious behavior, block offenders, and tell a trusted adult or law enforcement if something feels wrong.

The FBI urges victims to report incidents immediately and not give in to demands.

A Coordinated Response

South Carolina is emerging as a national leader in addressing both the tools and tactics behind digital abuse:

• Legislation like the Captain Robert Johnson Act and Gavin’s Law crack down on inmate crime and protect victims.
• Technology like call capture systems disrupt illegal communications without compromising public safety.
• Public education and law enforcement outreach help prevent victimization before it starts.

The tragic deaths of Jordan Wiggins and Gavin Guffey serve as stark reminders of the dangers of unchecked digital exploitation. As South Carolina strengthens its laws, deploys smarter tools, and informs its citizens, the state is showing that protecting the public—especially youth—requires action both inside and outside prison walls.

Sources:

• SC Governor’s Office – Captain Robert Johnson Act
• South Carolina Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Attempted Extortion
• FCC – Contraband Cell Phones in Prisons
• Sen. Lankford – Federal Bill to Stop Contraband Phones
• ABC News 4 – Graham’s Federal Push
• Governor Henry McMaster Signs Gavin’s Law