Hi, my name is Triston McMannes. I am a senior at Centerville High School. I'm in the marching band and actually one of the section leaders for the tubas, and I think the tuba is undervalued. I live with my grandma. I call her mama, and I have two dogs named Daisy and Indy.
I got my first phone when I was 14 years old. It was a hand-me-down from my grandma. It's so great to finally get my own phone because it made me feel grown-up and trusted. All my friends are on it, so I don't want to be the weird kid in the group that didn't use it. My favorite app was Snapchat. I could see photos from my friends and see what they're all up to over the weekend.
This year I started my senior year and I started using Snapchat more and even got an Instagram account. I would say I spent about 30 to 40 hours a week on social media. Pretty normal for a teenager. My story is about the fear that you feel after you make a really big mistake and the fear that you feel after making such a big mistake.I was talking to this girl who said she lived in Jacksonville, Florida. She seemed cool. We talked for like two days straight about her hobbies and what our high schools were like.
All of a sudden, she says, "Do you want to play a game?" I was bored and why not? Sarah, sent me an explicit picture and then says, "It's your turn." I was kind of shocked. I've never sexted before it and anything like this, but it was kind of an adrenaline rush. Like any healthy teenage boy, I took the picture and sent it. Instantly, I regretted sending a picture like that.
Sarah says, "Hold on, I'm getting more pictures ready for you." Then my worst nightmare happens. She shares a screenshots of my pictures and says, "I'm going to send this to your aunt," and a bunch of people that I follow if I don't send her $500 immediately. Sara then started to countdown.
"Ten."
"Nine."
I was scared.
"Eight."
"Seven."
Sarah's texting was relentless. I thought I was going to throw up or maybe even cry. She didn't say Venmo, she wanted me to use another payment method called Zelle, which I've never heard of. Thankfully, my mamaw was home and I immediately went to her. It was probably the most embarrassing time in my entire life.
I was like, "I'm so sorry, mamaw! You can call me! You can do whatever you want to punish me because I really messed up!" She said she thought this was punishment enough so my mamaw said it's time to get the police involved.
We called the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department. They sent a deputy to our house. His name was Officer Man. He got to our house at about 10:00 p.m.. He asked to see the messages and then said, This is the fourth call we've had like this week. All asking for the same amount of money. He told us not to send any money. And the officer asked if I would like to bookmark this in my record in case anything escalated, which I did. After all, there could be anybody. She could be a 500-pound ball guy named Chuck living in his mom's basement.
The officer said I hadn't committed a crime, we are both over 18, it's not illegal, just stupid. I got catfished. These people sure know how to lure you in and press all the right buttons, get you to fall for them and feel special. At the end of the day, I am super grateful my mamaw was there to help me through this and I've learned don't talk to strangers on the internet, especially ones that send pictures.
Hopefully, teenagers listen to my story and learn not to do that. Hopefully, if anything does happen or escalate, I have my friends and family that know who I am and would never do anything like that again. I have learned from my mistakes so hopefully nothing bad happens.
For Dayton Youth Radio at Centerville High School, this is just Triston McMannes
Triston McMannes is a student at Centerville High School. Special thanks to Tricia Rapoch, teacher for the Communication Arts Program at Centerville High School. Learn more at the school's website: http://www.centerville.k12.oh.us/CHS.Dayton Youth Radio is supported by the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council.