Nigerian Man Extradited to US in Teen Sextortion Death Case
Federal authorities announced on August 28, 2026, that 26-year-old Adebola Festus Adekunle of Lagos, Nigeria, has been extradited to the United States to face federal charges connected to the 2022 suicide of 16-year-old Starkville, Mississippi resident Walker Montgomery. The indictment, handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, charges Adekunle with sexual exploitation of a minor resulting in death, production of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate threats with intent to extort.
Extradition Follows Long-Running International Investigation into Operation Artemis
Adekunle made his initial appearance on Thursday in federal court in Oxford, Mississippi, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Law enforcement arrested the suspect in Nigeria in August 2023.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary identified the case during a press conference as one of the very first extraditions stemming from Operation Artemis, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting financially motivated sextortion. If convicted on all counts, Adekunle faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The specific charge of sexual exploitation resulting in death carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years.
The Fatal Night That Altered Mississippi Law and Family Lives
On November 30, 2022, Walker spent his evening hunting with his father, returning home to work out, eat dinner, and pray with his mother before retiring to his bedroom.
Sometime past midnight, an online account operated by an individual posing as a young girl contacted the teenager. The digital conversation escalated rapidly into a recorded sexual encounter. Shortly after capturing the media, the perpetrator demanded $1,000 and threatened to distribute the explicit footage to Walker’s friends and family members. Starkville police and Lowndes County deputies later secured the teenager’s phone, recovering data that prevented investigators from losing critical evidence.
For hours, the teenager pleaded with the extortionist to withhold the files, viewing screenshots that suggested the material had already been sent out. The account holder ultimately told Walker to take his own life, stating he was already dead if he failed to pay. Walker Montgomery died by suicide within hours of the exchange. Weeks later, forensic data extracted from his phone revealed the true nature of the plot and traced the digital footprint across international borders to West Africa.
Community Impact and Prevention Resources
The tragedy profoundly impacted state legislation regarding online safety, sextortion, and revenge porn. Brian Montgomery admitted at the press conference that his family had nearly abandoned hope of ever finding the person responsible. “Today we know he’s in jail right across the street.”
U.S. Attorney Leary praised local first responders for moving with sufficient speed to preserve digital evidence before it could be wiped or lost. Investigators from municipal and county departments successfully secured the physical device, providing the foundation for federal prosecutors and international agencies to build their case.
Law enforcement officials continue to urge parents to remain vigilant regarding online spaces. Authorities note that digital environments are engineered to capture adolescent attention, creating vulnerabilities that criminal networks actively exploit across international boundaries.