Plantation man arrested on charges of extorting, harassing state Sen. Lauren Book

Florida police have arrested 19-year-old XXXX of Plantation on cyber stalking and extortion charges after he allegedly faked sexually-explicit photos of state Sen. Lauren Book and threatened to distribute them to news media outlets.

Book, a Plantation Democrat who chairs the Senate Democratic Caucus, is a widely known advocate for victims of child abuse and sexual abuse.

According to the Broward County Sheriff’s arrest report, Book — whose name is redacted — complained to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) that she had received multiple text messages from an unknown number that included two photographs of the senator “with exposed breasts” and also threatened to “leak the photos to Fox and her career would be over.”

XXXXalso allegedly texted sexually explicit photos that included female genitalia and the portrayal of a sexual act, and asked for $5,000 in gift cards in exchange for destroying the photos. Book told agents that she recognized the first two pictures of her breasts as those “she had taken of herself and only shared with a close friend.”

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article256293082.html#storylink=cpy

43 thoughts on “Plantation man arrested on charges of extorting, harassing state Sen. Lauren Book

  • December 2, 2021

    FAC why the hell did you put “pictures of her breasts” in bold?

    Assuming those are real pictures of her breasts (about which the story is wishy-washy), so what. Any consenting adult can transmit explicit pictures of themselves to a consenting adult if they want to. Even if that person works (or claims to work) as a child safety advocate. I abhor some of her bills, but she has not had anyone jailed for sending an explicit photo to a consenting adult.

    Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      “Assuming”? So when a person literally admits it’s themself it’s “assuming”? And so what if it’s in bold? It stands out to show that there were in fact ACTUAL NUDE photos of her. Not something doctored in photoshop.
      And aren’t YOU “assuming” she took such pics as an adult? I sure hope so. I’d hate to find out she teen “sexted” someone years ago đŸ€ŁđŸ˜‚đŸ€Ł

      Reply
      • December 4, 2021

        It would be interesting to learn of the chain of custody of those pictures and how they ended up in the possession of a 19 year old. Typically, young people socialize and share these types of things among peers. It would not be terribly unreasonable to even hypothesize that she shared them with someone underage, who shared them with others until they ended up with this young man. You just don’t know. As a victim, she should be willing to disclose to authorities the person to whom those pictures were shared as they are the critical link in the chain.

        Reply
  • December 2, 2021

    The last several paragraphs of the story— about Derek Logue— are a problem. The story alleges that Derek, too, engaged in “harassment and cyber stalking,” citing lower court rulings, without mentioning that the Supreme Court ruled otherwise. Derek did no such thing. They need to get their story straight rather than spin a narrative.

    Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      Derek should sue the press for libel.

      Reply
  • December 2, 2021

    No surprise that Book gets the best cyber task force to investigate her stalker while thousands of rape kits sat in Florida for years not analyzed before advocates were infuriated enough to enact change. Still, FDLE can legally take up to four months to process a victim’s evidence.

    This is the problem with our justice system, it’s only justice for some. Apparently justice here in the US is not only blind, but deaf and dumb as well.

    Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      Come on, Anonymous. Don’t be so critical of the justice system. After all, it is best system that money can buy!

      Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      Anonymous

      When I worked in law enforcement, Since I was the new guy, they gave me a huge box of unsolved crimes against black people. No one cared and they were thrown into a closet. Within 6 months I had solved numerous unsolved crimes for their community.

      Since I was “Embarrassing” the department, they transferred me to another unit. How was I embarrassing? I suppose they looked like idiots when 1000 officers couldn’t do what I did in 6 months. Not patting myself on the back, just they were too lazy to actually talk to people who they feel do not pay taxes.

      An example was the Gabby murder. Yes she was a beautiful blonde white girl. But how many other missing girls / boys get that kind of World wide coverage and Massive law enforcement exposure and response?
      And of course the news ramped it up. I have no issue with the news helping but why can’t everyone’s missing child get the same 45 minute made for television “Gabby” special treatment tv event?

      Again, she was probably a sweet heart so not bashing her or her family, just sometimes wonder who is in charge of what goes on in the World? It is not God because He is sitting back shaking His head waiting for the right moment to say ENOUGH!

      Reply
      • December 4, 2021

        All true, and I can’t help but think that some law enforcement jump so quickly on cases like these because Book is in a position to help their careers. Everyone else can wait at the back of the line apparently.

        Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      Anonymous
      Exactly, and where is the task force that is going after the scammers constantly calling demanding money because they say they are police officers and I was supposed to come check in with them last week. And they want to help bail me out because there is a warrant for my arrest. There is no difference between these scammers and black mailers.
      Why is it nothing can be done about them. Bull skits!!

      Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      It is not a justice system, but a legal system and one that money can buy as @Ed C and I have both noted previously. When the public learns to distinguish the difference, the sooner they will realize it needs continual reform for the better, not just more against people.

      Reply
  • December 2, 2021

    Extortion— sexual or otherwise— is wrong, even when the victim is someone we disagree with politically.

    It would be a mistake to fall back on mysogyny and post something like, “the blonde bimbo deserved it.” She’s not a bimbo, and she didn’t.

    Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      Calling 1 woman a “bimbo” is not what defines “mIsOgYnY”. No one hates ALL women just because they may hate or dislike a few. Good grief!
      Furthermore, wouldn’t it be more interesting to find out why a mere 19 yr old did this? We’re talking about a 19 YEAR OLD. Someone who’s life is only just beginning. Fresh out of high school and possibly on his way to college. And your first thought is “bimbo” = “misogyny”? Wow!

      Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      A bimbo is defined as an attractive but stupid young woman. a foolish, stupid, or inept person. a man or fellow, often a disreputable or contemptible one.

      Well Lauren Book is quite stupid, contemptible, disreputable, and inept, as evidenced by her time in office especially after the Parkland shooting and the recent special sessions over vaccine mandates.

      Attractiveness is relative. I don’t find her the least bit appealing. So maybe I have been calling her the wrong thing all this time?

      Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      To clarify, Sen Book is a lot of things, but she’s def not a bimbo.

      We KNOW she’s not foolish, stupid, inept, or disreputable. Because in the time we’ve been calling her all these things, even after the Parkland shooting, she has maneuvered herself into Senate minority leader. And you don’t become Senate Minority Leader by being any of those things. She may come across that way in the media, but trust me, she knows EXACTLY what she’s doing. So let’s not underestimate her, OK? (And no, your dad can’t make you Senate Minority Leader).

      Now, is she smart in every respect? Of course not—consider how OnceFallen tricked her into suing him and losing. But even in that case, Sen Book turned her loss into a PR win, as evidenced by the linked article.

      I regret that some people took offense at my cautionary words about misogyny. Some people are entirely comfortable with misogyny, and I get that. Views differ. But it’s not a strategy that will win sympathy for our movement.

      Reply
      • December 3, 2021

        CONT., You give Lauren too much credit. Lauren wouldn’t be where she is at today if big daddy Ron wasn’t greasing a lot of political wheels. Lauren Book does not run anything on her own– not her charity, not her senate seat, not even her own mouth. When Ron Book leaves this mortal coil you can be assured Lauren’s kingdom will implode because Lauren Book entirely incapable of doing anything but play the victim.

        Reply
      • December 3, 2021

        Sen Book is in no way inept at achieving what SHE wants— power, influence, pay. She is only inept at achieving what WE expect her to do, such as craft decent public policy and protect children as she claims to do.

        Reply
        • December 3, 2021

          “Achmed the Dead Terrorist” is only as funny as the person pulling his strings.

          In the same way, Lauren Book is only as good as her dad. You are giving credit to the wrong people. Lauren Book is a good puppet, nothing more.

          Reply
        • December 3, 2021

          One other important point, what do you mean by I tried Lauren Book into suing? There was no trickery involved. Book filed a SLAPP suit in a failed attempt to intimate me and silence my activism.

          Reply
        • December 3, 2021

          seeing Derek Logue’s additional comments, I hope he’s right and I’m wrong.

          Reply
      • December 3, 2021

        “ And you don’t become Senate Minority Leader by being any of those things.”

        But you can become a Congress woman (AOC) and yes, AOC is a bimbo. Did you ever see her video ranting about how cauliflower is “racist”? And no, she was NOT joking. I saw the video. It was one of her FB/IG Live videos. She couldn’t be more serious.

        Aaaaaand you jumped right back on to the “misogyny” bandwagon. I will repeat myself although since it’s obvious you are left leaning, this FACT will not matter to you;

        Not liking ONE woman or any GROUP of women (i.e. “the squad”) does NOT QUALIFY AS MISOGYNY. Get over yourself.
        Do you call women “misandrists” when they insult 1 man? Or is it OK to be a man hater? When people say “F Trump” or “F DeSantis”, is that not misandrist? Pardon me. My bad. I’m certainly a hater of ALL WOMEN because of my negative opinions about A FEW.

        Grow up from this crap of calling people “misogynistic” or “bigoted” or “phobic”. Those words do NOT make you win an argument. No. They don’t. And they never will.

        FAC, please post this comment.

        Reply
    • December 4, 2021

      Have to disagree. Evil people deserve evil karma. Until that criminal stops harassing people every day then I’m happy if evil is done to her.

      Reply
  • December 2, 2021

    Wait…what??? With everything going on and the stance she takes on these issues, and she has shared pictures of her own breasts? What in the world are you thinking Ms. Book? Having said that, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone and you’ve got to wonder how the 19 year old thought for even a second that this was a good idea. I’m sure this will end up hurting our cause somehow, its hard to not become more discouraged.

    Reply
  • December 2, 2021

    Umm I wouldn’t wish what this guy allegedly did on anybody, including the state senator. However, I don’t know what to say about her admitting responsibility for two of the photos.

    Reply
    • December 3, 2021

      Has anyone stopped for a moment to wonder HOW a 19 yr old even HAD these photos of her? And for how long did he have them? How long ago were they taken and distributed to this “friend” of hers? And why would she send pics of her bare breasts over an electronic device? Even if it was some medical related issue, you don’t send images of parts of your body over a damn text message or email. You just don’t.
      Things that make you go “hmmm”

      Reply

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