Digital Forensics Dispatch

Belton, SC Mayor Victim of Revenge Porn

September 22, 2020

Nikie Mayo of Greenville News reports that Belton mayor Tiffany Ownbey has been a victim of revenge porn, and that the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is conducting a computer forensic examination relating to the matter. If you are not familiar with it, revenge porn is the release of sexually explicit material without the consent of the party or parties involved with intent to cause harm to the individual(s) depicted in the acts. The Belton Police Chief, Robert Young passed the case off to SLED in June after Ownbey told him about the video. According to a spokesperson for SLED, the video was published on social media, though they did not say which of the various platforms. Spokesperson Thomas Crosby states “[we] continue to look into the situation, and we’re exhausting all forensics and investigative leads.”

Ownbey’s attorney, former 10^th Judicial Circuit Court Solicitor Druanne White, has said that a man had in the past secretly recorded the video of the intimate encounter with Ownbey and threatened to release the video if she broke up with the unnamed individual. Ownbey is the first woman to have been elected to the position of mayor in Belton, and White has stated “[after] Tiffany was elected Mayor, she began hearing rumors that the recording might be released.” Ownbey is currently waiting on SLED to finish their investigation before any further legal action is pursued in the matter.

“According to the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, 46 states and the District of Columbia have specific laws against the distribution of sexually graphic images of individuals without consent” Mayo writes. South Carolina is one of the states not included and does not contain such a law. Ownbey has stated that she will work toward advocating for others who have been in situations like hers. A bill was introduced in 2019, but it has not advanced.

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