Accused sextortionist appears in court

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A Clay County man accused of blackmailing teenage boys into sending him sexually explicit photos and videos appeared in Federal court Wednesday afternoon.

Richard Finkbiner, 39, was first arrested Friday after two 14-year-old boys in different parts of the country reported a man had approached them online, asked them to perform sexual images on a Web camera and used the images to blackmail them into sending him more sexually explicit images.

A search of Finkbiner’s home turned up thousands of sexually explicit images, many appearing to depict teenagers, prosecutors said.

On Wednesday, Finkbiner appeared in court at the Federal Courthouse in Terre Haute for a detention hearing and a preliminary hearing.

Finkbiner waived both hearings, meaning that he will be kept in jail through the time of his trial.

Prosecutors could not say when a trial would occur, and they would not say whether more alleged victims had come forward in the case.

“I would reiterate, as you’ve pointed out, that there is a toll-free number at the FBI Cyber Crimes Division in Indianapolis, (and) we would encourage, frankly anyone with information regarding this case to use that toll-free number and provide information,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Hogsett.

That toll-free number is (877) 542-8979.

Authorities also could not say whether patrons of Finkbiner’s internet business, Clay County Internet, had specific causes for concern.