Man who allegedly posed as UT player Sutton charged in Snapchat extortion case

Brandon Douglas Shanahan (Courtesy Blount County Sheriff's Office)
Brandon Douglas Shanahan (Courtesy Blount County Sheriff's Office)

A man posed as UT football player Cameron Sutton to try to extort money and valuables from a Sweetwater, Tenn., woman, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

A news release said Brandon Douglas Shanahan, 22, of Sweetwater, Tenn., was arrested Tuesday and charged with intent to extort money and other things of value from a female victim through a Snapchat communication which threatened to injure her reputation.

Shanahan pleaded not guilty in his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Inman in Knoxville, the release stated.

A detailed account of Shanahan's conduct leading to his arrest is included in the criminal complaint and supporting affidavit on file with U.S. District Court in Knoxville.

According to the affidavit, Shanahan conversed via Snapchat with the female victim using the name "Camsutton2323." The victim believed she was communicating with Sutton, since the display name for Camsutton2323 was "Cameron Sutton" and the number 23 is Sutton's University of Tennessee jersey number.

The investigation by law enforcement revealed that Sutton himself was a victim of criminal impersonation. Sutton had not conversed with the victim via Snapchat or any other method of communication and had no knowledge of Shanahan's impersonation of him.

If convicted, Shanahan faces a maximum of two years in prison.

Investigators believe Shanahan contacted other women as well. Anyone who believes she has been extorted in this scheme is asked to call the FBI office at 865-744-0751.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force, consisting of members of the Knoxville Police Department, Knox County Sheriff's Office, and the University of Tennessee Police Department, with the assistance of the Sweetwater Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Davidson represents the United States.

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