South Carolina Rep. Brandon Guffey was filled with rage when he saw the man he believes was responsible for his son’s suicide in court on Monday. Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, 24, was extradited from Nigeria to the US over the weekend to face charges that he was involved in a sextortion scheme that led to the 17-year-old’s death.
Guffey, who had been fighting for justice for his son, said he felt a surge of anger when he saw Lawal, who kept his head down and avoided eye contact. The suspect allegedly created a fake online profile as a young woman and sent Gavin nude photos, demanding similar images of himself. When Gavin shared the photos, the suspect threatened to publicize them if he didn’t pay.
Lawal has pleaded not guilty to several charges, including child exploitation resulting in death, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and coercion. He could face up to life in prison, with a mandatory 30-year sentence if convicted of child exploitation resulting in death.
Guffey’s son, Gavin, shot himself in a bathroom at the family home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on July 27, 2022. Guffey has said that his son’s suicide was a direct result of the sextortion scheme, which continued even after his death. The FBI arrested Lawal in Lagos last week, following an extradition hearing, and he was transferred to the US over the weekend.
Guffey has introduced a bill, known as “Gavin’s Law,” which criminalizes the type of scam that led to his son’s death and requires schools in South Carolina to teach students about the dangers of sextortion and how to identify potential scammers. He has also sued Meta, the parent company of Instagram, for wrongful death and other claims, saying it does not do enough to protect children like Gavin from online predators.
Guffey’s work is part of a broader effort to combat the rise of sextortion schemes, which are increasingly targeting underage boys and leading to an alarming increase in suicides nationwide. The FBI has warned that these schemes are often highly sophisticated and difficult to detect, but Guffey remains determined to protect other children from suffering the same fate as his son.
