No contest plea for extorting official with explicit photos

MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida man pleaded no contest Wednesday to charges related to trying to get $5,000 from a state senator after threatening to release what he said were sexually explicit photos of her.

Jeremy Kamperveen, 20, of Plantation, entered an open plea in Broward County circuit court, according to court records. He was facing charges of extortion, unlawful use of a two-way device and cyberstalking. The open plea means he has no deal with prosecutors, and his attorney, Michael Heise, said Kamperveen faces up to 21 years in prison at a July 19 sentencing hearing.

Kamperveen was arrested in November. A Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest report didn't identify the victim, but Florida Sen. Lauren Book, whose district includes part of Broward County, released a statement several weeks later saying the threatening messages had been sent to her.

"I became the victim of ongoing sexual harassment and extortion,” Book said in December. “I immediately notified law enforcement and began working closely with them to track those responsible for sending threatening and disturbing images and messages to my phone, including distorted, fake and stolen images created in an effort to intimidate, threaten, and extort me.”

Book is leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus and a longtime advocate for victims of child abuse and sexual abuse. She leads a group called Lauren’s Kids. Book did not immediately have a comment on Kamperveen's plea, but her spokeswoman said Book and her husband will be providing victim impact statements at next month's hearing.

According to the arrest report, Book contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Nov. 12, after someone sent Book several explicit photos and threatened to ruin her political career by releasing them to the public. An undercover agent took over communication with the...