Gaithersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Child Pornography and Extortion

He faces a minimum of five years in prison and must register as a sex offender.

Greenbelt, MD – A Gaithersburg man pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of child pornography and extortion by threat to ruin the reputation of another.

23-year-old Zhi Tian Lang admitted to extorting minors by threatening to post revealing photos of the victims on social media unless they sent him sexual photos and/or videos of themselves.

Between January and October 2014, Lang said in his plea he would use social media and online messaging applications to obtain revealing pictures of his victims and would demand the victim provide him with nude pictures or else he would post the pictures he had online.

The victim’s ages ranged from 13 to 17 and were located across the United States including South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Lang will be required to register as a sex offender where he resides, works, and goes to school. He faces five to 20 years in prison for receipt of child pornography and up to two years in prison for extortion by threat to ruin the reputation of another.

Lang’s sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2020.

 

 

By Timothy Young