ROCK HILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Two years after a teenager lost his life to suicide amid what officials say was a sextortion scheme, a man has been extradited to the United States to face charges, United States Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs and federal, state and law enforcement announced Monday.
Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, 24, of the state of Osun in Nigeria, has been extradited to the U.S.
In July 2022, Rock Hill resident Gavin Guffey, 17, lost his life to suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scheme reportedly created by Lawal.
According to authorities, Lawal pretended to be a young woman on social media and coerced Guffy to send nude photos. Lawal then threatened to ruin Guffey’s reputation by releasing the images unless the minor sent money.
Lawal is charged with the following:
- Child exploitation resulting in death
- Production and distribution of child sexual abuse material
- Coercion and enticement of a minor
- Cyberstalking resulting in death
- Interstate threats with the internet to extort
- Aiding/ abetting
In the cyberstalking and extortion charges, officials state that Lawal also targeted Guffey’s family. Lawal faces up to life in prison. A prison sentence is mandatory for several of his charges and the child exploitation resulting in death charge alone requires a minimum 30-year sentence. Lawal will also be forced to pay any restitution the court orders to the Guffey family.
A grand jury returned an indictment in Oct. 2023. With the help of Nigerian law enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents out of the Columbia, S.C., office took custody of Lawal on Jan. 24, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria.
Nigerian authorities were critical in identifying, investigating, arresting and extraditing Lawal, the Boroughs’ office reports.
In Aug. 2023, ‘Gavin’s Law’ was signed to make these types of crimes an aggravated felony. A major push behind this law and several other past bills was Gavin’s father, S.C. Representative Brandon Guffey.
“I would hope that he is proud,” said Rep. Guffey told Queen City News on the day the law was signed. “I think if he were here today, he would realize what a mistake it was that he made. And how he reacted quickly to a situation that could have been solved.”
“The only good I can get out of losing my son is to know I can protect other parents from ever having to face this pain and protecting teens from ever having to go through this,” Rep. Guffey told QCN in April 2023.
