A Saudi national who attended college in Indiana is facing charges that he posed as a female online to obtain nude photos of a Danvers teenager and later threatened to distribute the pictures unless the girl agreed to have sex with him, officials said.
Abdulrahim Altalhi, 20, was indicted Wednesday on charges including attempted extortion, enticement, electronic enticement for prostitution, and posing a child in a state of nudity, according to Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett’s office.
His Superior Court arraignment has not been scheduled, and he remains held on $750,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty earlier this month in Salem District Court.
According to authorities, Altalhi contacted the alleged victim online in January and persuaded the 15-year-old girl to send him nude photos. He allegedly used the pictures in an effort to blackmail “the victim to agree to have sex with a man, later identified as the defendant,” said a spokeswoman for Blodgett.
The girl’s family contacted police, and Altalhi was arrested before any sexual acts occurred, authorities said.
His lawyer, John Salsberg, said Altalhi was traveling back to school when he was taken into custody at a Chicago airport. The date of his arrest was unclear Friday.
Salsberg declined to discuss the allegations, except to say that Altalhi will plead not guilty in Superior Court.
Officials identified Altalhi as a student at the University of Evansville in Indiana, but a school spokesman said he did not enroll this semester.
Salsberg said Altalhi attended the university on a scholarship and comes from a “modest background” in Saudi Arabia.
“His parents were just here this last week,” Salsberg said. “He has their full support and love.”
Danvers police referred questions to Blodgett’s office.