FBI to honor Streetsboro couple for efforts saving children from predators
When Tim and Tamia Woods went to the FBI's Cleveland office on Feb. 20, they did not realize it was going to be for more than just a chat about their work in combatting crimes against children.
"They asked us to stop by the office, just to run a couple of things by us, and we were like, OK, because we always do work with them from time to time," said Tamia Woods. "And so when we stopped by the office, they surprised us with the notification that we were getting the award. They gave us the certificate and we took pictures with that and we'll get the official award on April 19."
The couple will receive the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. It was established in 1990 to honor those "working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence," according to the Cleveland office.
'It doesn't stop': What you need to know about sextortion, a new form of sexual assault
The Streetsboro residents are being recognized for their work with the Do it For James Foundation, which they started after their 17-year-old son James was victimized by a sextortionist and committed suicide in November 2022.
"It's a great honor because, you know, to get something from the national government is really big," said Tim Woods. "It shows that it was a lot of good things done to achieve that award. They don't just hand them out to anybody."
The FBI’s 56 field offices select the recipients annually. FBI Director Christopher Wray will honor the Woodses and other recipients during the April event in Washington, D.C.
“Timothy and Tamia found strength and purpose through an unimaginable tragedy," FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen said when presenting the certificate. "Carrying on James’ legacy by fostering awareness, education and outreach to our kids and teens while establishing a foundation that will serve future generations is a true testament to their character. The FBI will not let James Woods be forgotten, nor the work you both are doing. As recipients of the Director’s Community Leadership Award, you and James are forever etched in the history books of the FBI.”
Finding a mission in tragedy
Life for the Woods family changed permanently Nov. 19, 2022, when Tim Woods came home from work and discovered his son's body.
Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. They had spoken about James' college plans that morning. But it came out after James' death that he had been a victim of sextortion.
Sextortion is a cybercrime in which victims are targeted on social media and persuaded to provide an illicit photo or video of themselves. These images are then used to threaten the victims into providing more illicit images or money.
Victims are often juveniles, while perpetrators could be adults claiming to be juveniles.
After James' death, his parents discovered that he had essentially been pushed over the edge after his victimizer inundated him with some 200 messages in less than 20 hours. They have said they believe he probably did not get any sleep because of stress.
"We're working hard to make sure that we continue to save other children's lives and we're happy about that," said Tamia Woods.
In the months after James' death, the Woodses channeled their grief into the work.
The foundation's mission statement says "The Do It for James Foundation (DIFJF) is a nonprofit organization that works with communities to increase awareness, provide support and education to both parents and children on crime against students, while also supplying a wide range of assistance for those in need."
The foundation is also on Facebook and Instagram.
Woods family stays busy with speaking engagements to shed light on sextortion
The Woodses now spend a lot of their time traveling and speaking to parents and children.
"We've got a lot right now. We're, like, averaging between eight and 12 events a month," said Tamia Woods.
She said upcoming speaking engagements include March 5 at Louisville High School in Stark County; March 26 at Brown Middle School in Ravenna; and an Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence conference for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. They will also be doing a couple of podcasts soon.
The Woodses are beginning to expand to out-of-state events, including an upcoming speaking engagement in Massachusetts.
Early on, they had their first encounter with the FBI when they and a representative from the Cleveland office were speaking to parents of students in the Nordonia Hills and Twinsburg school districts in March 2023. The Do It For James Foundation and the Cleveland FBI have since worked together.
This included when the FBI was a vendor providing information at the foundation's first 5K Walk/Run Day of Fun in August 2023.
"We were able to give away $12,750 in scholarships last year and touch about 1,000 families, so it was wonderful event," said Tamia Woods.
The second event will July 20 at Streetsboro City Park, 8970 Kirby Lane. Organizations including the FBI and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are among the organizations expected to participate. Food trucks also will be at the event, which will run 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Scholarships again will be awarded, and there will be an opportunity to win money for schools or organizations that help students through a volleyball and basketball tournament. Last year, the first place volleyball team won $1,000.
In the meantime, the Woodses are planning for their trip to Washington in April.
"We haven't stopped smiling," said Tamia Woods. "We're just really honored for it. It was unexpected and it lets us know we're really doing the right thing."
Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: FBI to honor Streetsboro parents for sextortion prevention effort
