Kevin Bollaert, a 28-year-old man who has been operating a 'revenge porn website, has been found guilty on multiple felony charges including identity theft and extortion.
After two-and-a-half days of deliberation, a San Diego County Superior jury found that Boellart was guilty on 27 felony counts, according to the California Attorney General's Office, which prosecuted the case, reports cbs news. He faces up to 20 years in prison from the time he gets sentenced on 3 April.
Bollaert used to run a revenge porn website, which allowed angry ex-husbands and ex-boyfriends to anonymously post naked and sexually explicit pictures of women. Bollaert further harassed the women and charged them $300 to $350 in order to have the pictures removed.
When the women testified that the pictures left them embarrassed and stressed, Bollaert's attorney had argued that while the website was "sleazy," it did not violate the law, reports LA Times. California made revenge porn a misdemeanour on 1 October, 2013, after which Bollaert was charged.
The website allowed patrons to post anonymously but required the subject's name, location, age and Facebook profile. Over 10,000 images from California and other states have been posted on the site between 2 December 2012, and 17 September 2013.
An e-mail form one of the women to Bollaert, that was submitted before the court, read: "This website is an absolute disgrace... It makes me sick you run this as your little family business."
Another victim informed in her mail that after her explicit pictures along with her contact information were posted on the website, she started receiving phone calls, lewd photos and numerous emails from people "asking to hook up."
