AMES, Iowa – In November 2020, a student at Iowa State University reached out to the campus police with a troubling report. She was being extorted by a man she had met online two years prior. Her brave step forward sparked an investigation that, over four years later, culminated in federal charges against a network of predators targeting young women, many of them minors, across the globe.
The investigation, spearheaded by Iowa State University Police, took unexpected turns. Initially, it seemed to hit a standstill until Officer Kami Feld uncovered an important lead. A business address found in data from an online payment service raised red flags and eventually played a crucial role in piecing together the case.
A Dubious Business Address
The case transitioned to the university police’s investigative unit a few months after the student’s report. Officer Feld revisited the evidence, focusing on an address, 4 Goldfield Road, linked to an online payment account. A simple internet search showed the address was tied to several suspicious businesses but did not exist on any map.
“That was enough for me to know I had to keep digging. This wasn’t a dead end,” Feld explained. She escalated the case to Iowa’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a coalition of over 5,400 law enforcement agencies. This collaboration opened new investigative avenues, including executing search warrants for detailed account information from service providers.
Alarming Messages
Interviews revealed that the student had sent photos to a man she met via a messaging app while she was a minor. As a first-year student at Iowa State, she received threats of exposure unless she complied with his demands. Intriguingly, money was never requested; instead, he sought control over her and other young women.
Payment records showed notes attached to transactions that were troubling. “There were several derogatory comments demanding obedience,” Feld noted. The messages illustrated a pattern of manipulation and control.
Assembling the Puzzle
Feld spent months analyzing data from internet service providers, email, social media, and banking accounts. Her determination led to identifying a suspect. His financial records pointed to purchases of software often used for illicit activities, including child exploitation.
“It was like laying out the pieces of a giant puzzle and putting them all together,” Feld said. The investigation revealed connections to an active Homeland Security inquiry, ultimately aiding in identifying Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41, from Pahoa, Hawaii.
In August 2021, a search warrant was executed at Borge’s residence, yielding extensive forensic data. By late January, the Department of Justice charged Borge and three others from an online neo-Nazi group for exploiting minors to create abusive content.
A Student’s Brave Stand
The investigation exposed over 30 victims, some as young as 11, and was instrumental in dismantling a group promoting neo-Nazism and pedophilia. Feld praised the courage of the Iowa State student who initiated the investigation, stating, “She was the linchpin. She had the courage and bravery to say this is not OK.”
Michael Newton, associate vice president for public safety and chief of police at Iowa State, acknowledged Feld’s perseverance and emphasized the importance of trust between officers and the community. “Our team is here to keep campus safe,” Newton affirmed, encouraging others to seek help when needed.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles Police Department, and international bodies like EUROPOL. Their collaborative efforts were pivotal in addressing this complex case.
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