Alexander McCartney sentenced in U.K. court for "catfishing" thousands, including U.S. girl who died by suicide

A Northern Ireland man was sentenced Friday to a minimum of 20 years in prison after being found guilty by a U.K. court in what has been described as the biggest criminal "catfishing" case in the country. Alex McCartney, 26, had pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of manslaughter in a Northern Ireland court after a young American girl who was among the thousands of alleged victims he blackmailed online died by suicide. 

McCartney had admitted to a total of 185 charges involving 70 child victims in court — including blackmail, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and producing and distributing indecent images of children. He was also held culpable for the death of 12-year-old Cimarron Thomas in West Virginia, according to the U.K.'s Press Association news agency. 

Thomas, who lived in West Virginia with her mother, father and siblings, died of suicide in May 2018.  During her online interactions with McCartney, authorties say he attempted to coerce her into sending graphic images involving a younger sibling.