Harris Sentenced to 292 Months for 'Michelle' Sexual Exploitation Scheme
Federal judge in Texas orders 21-year-old to serve time for extorting minors via social media.
By Grace Almasi ·
Tre Von Lamount Harris, 21, will spend 292 months in federal prison for sexually exploiting numerous underage boys in West Texas.
The Austin man created a false profile for a teen named Michelle on Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. He started the scheme at age 16. Harris used these platforms and Cash App to deceive victims into performing explicit acts and sending images.
Court documents show Harris threatened victims with payment demands. He warned them he would post the material online or send it to family and friends if they did not pay. Harris followed through on these threats in some cases.
Local authorities first arrested Harris on May 31, 2022. He faced two sexual assault charges and one charge for publishing invasive recordings. That case used the alias Karla. A judge released him on a $5,000 cash bond and allowed him to continue attending high school.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received reports linking Harris usernames to abuse material starting in December 2022. The FBI learned of these reports in May 2023. Agents interviewed multiple victims during their investigation.
Harris was taken into federal custody on May 21, 2024, at his high school.
