Leaders Respond as 'Revenge Porn' Case Rocks Lumberton: 'The Damage Is Done'

LUMBERTON, Miss. (WDAM) - A man from Hattiesburg has been arrested in Lamar County for allegedly engaging in "revenge porn."

The Lumberton Police Department apprehended 29-year-old Kieshon Parker on April 25.

Parker is alleged to have uploaded approximately 30 explicit images and video content featuring his ex-girlfriend onto the internet.

"After their breakup, when they were furious with each other, he shared those details on Twitter," said Elsie Cowart, chief of the Lumberton Police Department.

Cowart informed WDAM 7 that the woman emerged last week, after first choosing to share the material with Parker willingly.

Parker faced 29 charges for distributing private visual materials without permission, alongside one accusation of vandalism and another of simple assault categorized as domestic violence.

The judge assigned Parker's bail at $30,500.

"She placed her trust in him to refrain from sharing those videos," stated Cowart.

Cowart mentioned that the posts garnered over 70,000 views prior to Parker having their Twitter/X account suspended.

Parker reportedly violated Senate Bill 2121, which seeks to hold individuals responsible for unauthorized distribution of private content.

In 2021, Senator Joey Fillingane from District 41 initiated the legislation.

"That constitutes a breach of the 'revenge porn' legislation, and you might encounter serious consequences such as imprisonment or monetary fines," Fillingame stated.

Fillingane stated that the leaders created the bill after observing comparable instances, with some even resulting in victims ending their own lives.

"We aimed to implement stricter laws with heavier penalties," stated Fillingane.

Cowart mentioned that something similar occurred a few weeks back in Lumberton when a 16-year-old reportedly posted photos and clips on an Instagram account.

Following the submission of the content, the teenager was reportedly blackmailed for funds.

Mom and Dad noticed something was different or had shifted, so they decided to go speak with him," Cowart explained. "Once they did, they surprisingly found him trying to attempt suicide.

Cowart mentioned that the account’s IP address traced back to another country, making an arrest improbable.

She's encouraging everyone to keep in mind that once shared, content can persist indefinitely.

“Once you post something on social media, it remains accessible,” explained Cowart. “Even if it gets removed, somebody might still have a copy of it.”

Parker is scheduled to appear in front of a judge once more on June 23.

Following his arrest, Cowart mentioned that investigators discovered Parker had outstanding warrants for separate charges in Arkansas.

Looking for additional WDAM 7 news updates via email? Click here! here to sign up for our newsletter.

Share :