A Schuylkill County man is facing criminal charges after police say he threatened to post nude photographs of his ex online if she did not return to his home.
Keith Zechman, 47, of Tremont is charged with one misdemeanor count of sexual extortion and two summary counts of harassment.
Police say the victim went to the State Police-Schuylkill Haven barracks on May 4 to report the threats. The woman told police she had moved out of a residence earlier that day with the assistance of constables.
According to the victim, Zechman told her that if she did not return to the house by 5 p.m. that evening, he would post nude pictures of her on Facebook.
The victim showed police text messages in which Zechman said he would send pictures and screenshots of their conversations to her friends and family. Police say Zechman sent text messages stating, “I’ll handle it. I’m sick of this sh**,” and “Everything getting sent.”
He then sent nude photographs of the woman to her, along with a text stating, “Getting sent to people that need to know,” according to the messages shown to police.
On May 27, the woman contacted police again, reporting that she had blocked Zechman on all social media accounts. She told police that Zechman was creating new accounts and contacting her family and friends in response to her attempts to avoid him.
A preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Christian Lengel is scheduled for Aug. 6.
Schuylkill County Crisis & Support Resources
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence, free, confidential, and inclusive help is available 24/7 in Schuylkill County.
- Schuylkill Hope Center (Domestic Violence): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 622-6220, text HOPELINE to 20121, or visit schopecenter.org. Services include emergency shelter, housing assistance, counseling, and legal representation.
- SARCC (Sexual Assault): Call the 24/7 hotline at (570) 628-2965 or visit sarccheals.org for counseling, advocacy, and healing support for survivors of sexual violence.
- Outside Schuylkill County: Residents across Pennsylvania can find their local domestic violence program at pcadv.org. You can also visit domesticshelters.org to find resources near you.
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