A Nigerian man has been extradited to the United States to face federal charges related to sextortion that contributed to the death of a Mississippi teenager. Adebola Festus Adekunle, 26, of Lagos, Nigeria, appeared Friday in federal court in Oxford.
He faces multiple charges, including sexual exploitation resulting in death and the production of child sexual abuse material. Authorities say Adekunle, posing as another person, convinced 16-year-old Walker Montgomery of Starkville to engage in a video chat on Instagram, where a sexual encounter was recorded without the teen’s knowledge.
According to Montgomery’s father, Brian Montgomery, Adekunle later contacted the teen and demanded $1,000 to prevent the video from being shared with friends and family. When the teen said he did not have the money, he pleaded for the video not to be released. By early the next morning, Walker Montgomery had died by suicide, his father said in a campaign video against sextortion.
“Walker Montgomery should be here with us today,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a statement Friday. “He should be moving into his dormitory, meeting up with friends, and running to class. That he is not is a tragedy.”
The FBI arrested Adekunle in Nigeria in August 2023 as part of an international operation targeting sexual extortion of minors. He was extradited Thursday and faces up to a life sentence. The child exploitation charge alone carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison.
“Sextortion is a serious crime with devastating consequences,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff said. “The extradition of Adekunle sends a clear message: crossing state lines or international borders does not shield individuals from accountability.”
The FBI reports a rise in financial sextortion cases targeting minors. Mississippi officials have taken legislative steps to address the issue, including enacting “Walker’s Law,” which makes sextortion a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for repeat offenses. Governor Tate Reeves also signed the “Walker Montgomery Protecting Children Online Act,” requiring age verification on social media platforms. However, a federal judge recently blocked enforcement of the law after a challenge from industry groups. The state has appealed the decision.
Fitch emphasized the importance of age verification, stating it could help protect young people from abuse and exploitation, activities not protected by the First Amendment. The federal appeals court allowed the age verification law to take effect last year.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
