Friday, March 29, 2013

Utah Man Sentenced to Prison for Transportation of Another with Intent to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity

TUCSON—On March 25, 2013, Jordan Munah Yow Choy Anthony, 21, of Pleasant Grove, Utah, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to four years in the Bureau of Prisons. Following incarceration, Anthony will be on lifetime supervision with sex offender conditions, including registering as a sex offender. Anthony pleaded guilty on November 2, 2012, to transportation of another with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity.
From March 14-18, 2011, in Arizona and elsewhere, Anthony used the Internet and a cellular phone to communicate with a minor in Arizona, whom he knew to be 14 years old. In December 2010, Anthony sent an e-mail to the minor about plans to pick her up and drive to Florida. On March 14, 2011, Anthony traveled from his hometown in Pleasant Grove, Utah, to Arizona, to pick up the minor at her residence. He traveled with the minor through New Mexico and into Galveston, Texas, intent on continuing to Florida. On March 18, 2011, they were found in Galveston, and Anthony was arrested by local police officers.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, and the Galveston, Texas Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Raquel Arellano, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Washington Man Sentenced in Idaho Sex Trafficking Case

Dyrell Robert Swinson, 20, of Tacoma, Washington, was sentenced this morning in United States District Court to 57 months in federal prison for his role in a child sex trafficking case, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Swinson to be supervised by a probation officer for five years after he is released from custody. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. Swinson pleaded guilty in November 2012 to obstructing a sex trafficking of children investigation.
According to the plea agreement, on March 8, 2012, law enforcement observed suspicious behavior by the occupants of a vehicle eastbound on Interstate 84 in Payette County, Idaho. The vehicle was intercepted at a rest area and the two occupants of the vehicle were questioned by an Idaho State Police trooper. The officer determined that Swinson, the driver of the vehicle, had a suspended Washington driver’s license. The passenger, a young female who Swinson said was his cousin, was unable to provide identification. The trooper, believing the female’s stated age to be false, conducted a consensual search of the vehicle and discovered items inconsistent with statements made by the vehicle’s occupants. Swinson was arrested for driving without privileges, and both individuals were taken to the Payette County Jail. During an interview at the jail, the passenger admitted her true age—15—and identity. A check with Idaho State Police dispatch revealed the juvenile was a ward of the state of Washington and a runaway who had disappeared on November 22, 2011.
According to the plea agreement, Swinson, after being advised that telephone calls from the jail were being recorded, made several calls requesting other parties to alter or delete electronic records. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Swinson had posted provocative photographs of the 15-year-old on Internet advertisement websites with telephone numbers for customers to call. Swinson admitted that his solicitations of other persons to alter, eliminate, or destroy evidence stored online was an attempt to obstruct the enforcement of federal law involving sex trafficking of a minor.
“Sex trafficking victimizes vulnerable teens, often forcing them into a desperate lifestyle so that others may profit,” said Olson. “Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in Idaho are working together to identify and rescue these victims and to ensure that the traffickers are punished.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Idaho State Police, and the Payette County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Atlanta Man Admits His Role in Operating an Interstate Juvenille Sex Trafficking Enterprise

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Joshua Jacquis Dumas, aka “Hitman,” 21, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to running a commercial sex business that prostituted multiple juvenile girls in Herndon, Virginia, and other locations throughout Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The leader of the venture, Edwin Barcus, Jr., pleaded guilty one week ago to founding and leading a child exploitation enterprise.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, II; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Lt. Colonel James A. Morris, Acting Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Dumas pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced on June 7, 2013.
“Joshua Dumas was a leader in a prostitution ring that profited from selling the bodies of young girls,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “He’s facing at least 20 years in prison for these vile crimes, and we hope other pimps are getting the message that sex trafficking children is not good for business.”
“Dumas recruited, intimidated, and exploited these young girls, selling these children into a life of sexual slavery, keeping them drugged to make them compliant, and making money off it,” said Attorney General Cuccinelli. “We will do everything in our power to stop sex traffickers like Dumas and Barcus from victimizing the most vulnerable among us, and we will put them away for as long as we can.”
“In today’s plea, Joshua Dumas admitted his role in a commercial sex business that preyed upon young girls and lured them into prostitution through deception and intimidation,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our law enforcement partners, the FBI is committed to apprehending these predators and ensuring they receive the justice they deserve.”
Dumas admitted that he played an important role in Barcus’ enterprise, serving as a manager and helping recruit juvenile girls to prostitute for the venture. He and others expressed a romantic interest in a particular girl, and then they tried to make prostituting seem glamorous. Sometimes, if a girl refused to work for their enterprise, members of the enterprise would steal her money. Members of the conspiracy carried a semi-automatic pistol for purposes of intimidation and protection.
Dumas admitted that he came to Virginia at the behest of Barcus because of the substantial profits in Virginia. Dumas had been prostituting two girls in Georgia, but he transported these girls via Greyhound bus so that they could prostitute in Herndon, Virginia. The girls were given narcotics to keep them compliant. Dumas admitted that the enterprise also used a juvenile boy to run errands and do counter-surveillance against the police.
Daily, the enterprise posted multiple advertisements on Backpage.com, and sometimes within minutes customers would call. Law enforcement recovered multiple “throwaway” cell phones that customers would call to arrange a “date” with the girls. Customers were then told which hotel to visit but not the room number, which allowed the members of the conspiracy the opportunity to observe the customer and ensure he was not an undercover detective. Once they believed the customer was not a policeman, they would call or text the customer with the room number.
Customers were charged at least $80 for 15 minutes of sex, $100 for 30 minutes, and $200 for 60 minutes. The girls were also instructed to charge more for “extras” and were encouraged to always try to get more money from the customers. The girls generally made at least $500 per day and sometimes made $3,000 per day. The girls were required to give all of their money to Barcus, Dumas, or other members of the enterprise. Some of the money was used to purchase narcotics, such as marijuana, “Molly,” which were given to the girls to induce them to continue prostituting.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department, with assistance from the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Frank and Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies—along with non-governmental organizations—dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Three Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges

SACRAMENTO, CA—A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today, charging Jason S. Wymer, 41, of Citrus Heights; Stormy M. Avers, 33, of Colfax; and Jolene Davis, 37, of Stockton, with production of child pornography, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
The indictment alleges that in October 2010, Wymer and Avers used a child to create images depicting the molestation of the child and that Avers was a parent or guardian of the child at the time. The indictment alleges that in August 2011, Wymer and Davis used another child to create pornographic images and that Davis had custody of the child at the time.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force. ICAC is a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Morris is prosecuting the case.
According to court documents, the case began when a parent of another child accidentally texted a photo of an 8-year-old girl to Wymer. When Wymer asked for more photos and began a sexually explicit dialogue with what he thought was an 8-year-old girl, the parent brought the cell phone to the FBI. An undercover employee began impersonating an 8-year-old girl. After several weeks of explicit text message chats, the investigators were able to locate Wymer. Upon his arrest, law enforcement found photos of Wymer, Avers, and Davis using children to create child pornography. Additional investigation determined that the children in the photos were minor relatives of Avers and Davis.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty for producing child pornography of 30 years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “Resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.

Child Molester Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Documenting Sexual Abuse and Sending Photos to Other Pedophiles

RIVERSIDE, CA—An Inland Empire man who molested at least three children, photographed the abuse, and traded those images over the Internet with other pedophiles was sentenced this morning to 25 years in federal prison.
Peter Ruiz, 33, of San Bernardino, who was described by prosecutors in court papers as a “ruthless predator,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips.
In 2009 and 2010, Ruiz repeatedly molested a boy who lived in an apartment near where Ruiz resided with his family. Ruiz documented the abuse with photographs and videos, which he distributed to pedophiles, sometimes in exchange for money. When authorities searched Ruiz’s computer on Halloween in 2010, they discovered more than 6,000 images and over 600 videos of child pornography, which included images of Ruiz molesting the then-12-year-old victim.
Ruiz pleaded guilty on October 23, 2012, to one count of production of child pornography.
In addition to the molestation of his neighbor, Ruiz also sexually abused two other boys, who were 9 and 10 when they were attacked. Ruiz groomed all of his victims with small gifts and access to video games, according to prosecutors.
“Ruiz sexually abused at least three children, nearly destroying them and their families in the process,” federal prosecutors wrote in a document filed in relation to today’s sentencing hearing.
Prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo that Ruiz “appears to show no remorse for his crimes.” Ruiz maintains a “brazen and nonchalant attitude toward his abuse of children...bragg[ing] about these sexual exploits to a fellow inmate.” Ruiz developed a pattern of “grooming his victim[s], professing his love for them, and eventually intimidating them into keeping silent,” prosecutors wrote.
The case against Ruiz is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Bergen County Man Admits Downloading Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse

NEWARK—A Bergen County, New Jersey man today admitted knowingly receiving over the Internet images and videos of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Joseph Anthony Amari, 81, of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to count one of an Indictment charging him with receipt of child pornography.
Amari, who was initially federally charged by complaint in 2009, is currently serving a sentence in state prison following a separate state conviction for endangering the welfare of two minors. The court stayed the federal prosecution pending the resolution of the state charges.
Amari admitted during his guilty plea that he used peer-to-peer file sharing software to download images and videos in February 2007 of children being sexually abused.
Amari faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years, as well as a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for May 13, 2013.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force in New Jersey, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s plea. He also thanked the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John L. Molinelli, and the Fair Lawn Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Erik Rose.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jane H. Yoon and Shirley U. Emehelu of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Warren County Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Possessing Images of Child Sexual Abuse

TRENTON, N.J.—A Warren County, New Jersey man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for possessing images on his computer and an external hard drive of children being sexually abused, including violent video images, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Leonard Ramirez, 41, of Great Meadows, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to one count of an indictment charging him with possession of child pornography. Judge Wolfson imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On April 21, 2009, law enforcement agents from the Phillipsburg, New Jersey Police Department interviewed Ramirez at his former girlfriend’s residence in Phillipsburg. They obtained Ramirez’s consent to search his laptop computer and discovered the criminal images.
On May 13, 2009, law enforcement agents from the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police executed a search warrant at Ramirez’s residence. Law enforcement seized an iMac computer and an external hard drive that contained numerous pictures and videos depicting child pornography. The external hard drive also contained videos of sadistic conduct and other violent images involving minors.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wolfson sentenced Ramirez to five years of supervised release, with restricted contact with minors and computer-use monitoring. Ramirez also must register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez in Newark; the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Richard T. Burke; the Warren County Chief of Detectives William R. Eppell; the Phillipsburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Faulborn; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John E. Clabby and R. Joseph Gribko of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

Newtown Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kimberly K. Mertz, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that David Csanadi, 36, of Newtown, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 240 months of imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for producing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2006 and 2007, Csanadi sexually abused three female children, videotaped the abuse, and maintained the tapes at his home in Newtown. All three children were prepubescent minors under the age of 12 at the time of the abuse. One child was approximately 18 months old at the time of the abuse.
In addition to filming and maintaining video tapes of the sexual abuse that he inflicted on female children, Csanadi downloaded from the Internet and obtained other images and videos of child pornography on his home computer.
“Working with the FBI, the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, and our other law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation and removing sexual predators from the community,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein. “I commend the Newtown and Monroe Police Departments for their investigative efforts and the Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office for the critical assistance it has provided to the investigation and prosecution of this heinous but important case.”
“The sexual abuse of children and production of child pornography are detestable crimes, and the harsh reality of it all is that those who commit these unspeakable crimes live and work among us,” stated Special Agent in Charge Mertz. “The Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force’s devotion to identifying those who commit these monstrous crimes and to bringing them to justice remains, and always will remain, resolute.”
Csanadi has been detained since April 15, 2011, when he was arrested and charged with multiple state child sexual exploitation offenses.
On November 2, 2012, Csanadi pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography. In January 2013, he pleaded guilty in state court to the charges of sexual assault in the first degree, illegal sexual contact with a minor, and possession of child pornography. Csanadi is scheduled to be sentenced in state court next month.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Newtown and Monroe Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Neeraj Patel and Krishna Patel.
The Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which is housed at the main FBI office in New Haven, investigates crimes against children occurring over the Internet, and provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. For more information about the task force, or to report child exploitation crimes, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

FBI Arrests Heber Man for Enticement of a Minor

Daphne Hearn, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge (SAC), San Diego Field Office, announces the arrest of Manuel Gonzales, age 28, of Heber, California. Gonzalez was arrested pursuant to a federal arrest warrant charging him with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422 (b), enticement of a minor.
Gonzales was arrested on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at approximately 8:00 a.m. at his Heber, California residence without incident. Gonzales was arrested by agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI). Following his arrest, Gonzales was booked into the Imperial County Jail.
The charges in this matter emanate from an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Imperial County Resident Agency, Imperial County, California, with assistance from HSI.
According to the complaint filed in this matter with the United States District Court, Southern District of California, case number 13MJ8185, in November 2012 and December 2012, Gonzales engaged in unlawful sexual activity with a minor victim. Gonzalez facilitated contact with the victim via cell phone text messages.
On Thursday, March 14, 2013, Gonzales had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter C. Lewis. Following the hearing, Gonzales was returned to the custody of the Imperial County Jail with his next hearing date scheduled for Monday, March 18, 2013.
This investigation was conducted under the FBI’s Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI). The mission of the IINI is to reduce the vulnerability of children to acts of sexual exploitation and abuse that are facilitated through the use of computers; to identify and rescue child victims; to investigate and prosecute sexual predators who use the Internet and other online services to sexually exploit children for personal or financial gain; and to strengthen the capabilities of law enforcement to protect children.
Since its inception, the IINI program has recorded the following statistical accomplishments:
  • Approximate number of informations and indictments: over 10,000
  • Approximate number of arrests: over 11,000
  • Approximate number of convictions: 11,400
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, El Centro Office. Anyone interested in providing information concerning this case should contact the FBI at telephone number (760) 355-0397 or (858) 565-1255.
A complaint itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Miami County Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Sexually Explicit Videos of Children He Babysat

DAYTON—Kevin D. Todd, 41, of Ludlow Falls, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of sexual exploitation of children for producing sexually explicit videos of pre-pubescent children he babysat and offering online to trade the videos.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); William Hayes, acting special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Ohio and Michigan; Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott, Miami County Sheriff Charles A. Cox; and Darke County Sheriff Toby L. Spencer announced the plea entered yesterday before U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
Terms of the plea agreement call for Todd to spend at least 20 years and up to 25 years in prison. Judge Black will review the plea agreement and has scheduled sentencing for Todd for July 11.
“Sexual exploitation of children by someone who has the responsibility of caring for them is a crime that merits swift, sure punishment,” U.S. Attorney Stewart said. “I want to encourage anyone with any information involving any other possible victims of exploitation to call local law enforcement.”
According to court documents, an undercover investigator with the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) responded to an ad Todd posted on the Internet in November 2012 seeking people looking for “taboo.” Through a series of e-mails, Todd asked the undercover investigator to meet and trade videos and pictures of child pornography. They arranged a meeting and officers arrested Todd on November 24, 2012, when he showed up for the meeting. Investigators found DVDs and other storage media containing pornographic videos and photos in Todd’s car.
Forensic examination found that Todd had produced the videos of the minor females between August 2010 and November 2012 in the bathroom of his residence.
Todd has been held without bond since his arrest.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the agencies involved, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Lafferty, who is representing the United States in this case.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Ferriday Funeral Home Director Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography

ALEXANDRIA, LA—U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that funeral home director John Casey Young, 45, of Vidalia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to knowingly receiving child pornography on his computer.
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, during an investigation of a separate but related matter in September 2011, discovered that Young used his work computer to search for child pornography on the Internet.
Young faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. Sentencing has been set for June 10, 2013. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Earl Campbell and John Luke Walker are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) DHS-2ICE. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. The Alexandria FBI office number is (318) 443-5097.

FBI Arrests Heber Man for Enticement of a Minor

Daphne Hearn, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge (SAC), San Diego Field Office, announces the arrest of Manuel Gonzales, age 28, of Heber, California. Gonzalez was arrested pursuant to a federal arrest warrant charging him with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422 (b), enticement of a minor.
Gonzales was arrested on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at approximately 8:00 a.m. at his Heber, California residence without incident. Gonzales was arrested by agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI). Following his arrest, Gonzales was booked into the Imperial County Jail.
The charges in this matter emanate from an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Imperial County Resident Agency, Imperial County, California, with assistance from HSI.
According to the complaint filed in this matter with the United States District Court, Southern District of California, case number 13MJ8185, in November 2012 and December 2012, Gonzales engaged in unlawful sexual activity with a minor victim. Gonzalez facilitated contact with the victim via cell phone text messages.
On Thursday, March 14, 2013, Gonzales had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter C. Lewis. Following the hearing, Gonzales was returned to the custody of the Imperial County Jail with his next hearing date scheduled for Monday, March 18, 2013.
This investigation was conducted under the FBI’s Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI). The mission of the IINI is to reduce the vulnerability of children to acts of sexual exploitation and abuse that are facilitated through the use of computers; to identify and rescue child victims; to investigate and prosecute sexual predators who use the Internet and other online services to sexually exploit children for personal or financial gain; and to strengthen the capabilities of law enforcement to protect children.
Since its inception, the IINI program has recorded the following statistical accomplishments:
  • Approximate number of informations and indictments: over 10,000
  • Approximate number of arrests: over 11,000
  • Approximate number of convictions: 11,400
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, El Centro Office. Anyone interested in providing information concerning this case should contact the FBI at telephone number (760) 355-0397 or (858) 565-1255.
A complaint itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Atlanta Man Admits His Role in Operating an Interstate Juvenille Sex Trafficking Enterprise

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Joshua Jacquis Dumas, aka “Hitman,” 21, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to running a commercial sex business that prostituted multiple juvenile girls in Herndon, Virginia, and other locations throughout Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The leader of the venture, Edwin Barcus, Jr., pleaded guilty one week ago to founding and leading a child exploitation enterprise.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, II; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Lt. Colonel James A. Morris, Acting Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Dumas pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced on June 7, 2013.
“Joshua Dumas was a leader in a prostitution ring that profited from selling the bodies of young girls,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “He’s facing at least 20 years in prison for these vile crimes, and we hope other pimps are getting the message that sex trafficking children is not good for business.”
“Dumas recruited, intimidated, and exploited these young girls, selling these children into a life of sexual slavery, keeping them drugged to make them compliant, and making money off it,” said Attorney General Cuccinelli. “We will do everything in our power to stop sex traffickers like Dumas and Barcus from victimizing the most vulnerable among us, and we will put them away for as long as we can.”
“In today’s plea, Joshua Dumas admitted his role in a commercial sex business that preyed upon young girls and lured them into prostitution through deception and intimidation,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our law enforcement partners, the FBI is committed to apprehending these predators and ensuring they receive the justice they deserve.”
Dumas admitted that he played an important role in Barcus’ enterprise, serving as a manager and helping recruit juvenile girls to prostitute for the venture. He and others expressed a romantic interest in a particular girl, and then they tried to make prostituting seem glamorous. Sometimes, if a girl refused to work for their enterprise, members of the enterprise would steal her money. Members of the conspiracy carried a semi-automatic pistol for purposes of intimidation and protection.
Dumas admitted that he came to Virginia at the behest of Barcus because of the substantial profits in Virginia. Dumas had been prostituting two girls in Georgia, but he transported these girls via Greyhound bus so that they could prostitute in Herndon, Virginia. The girls were given narcotics to keep them compliant. Dumas admitted that the enterprise also used a juvenile boy to run errands and do counter-surveillance against the police.
Daily, the enterprise posted multiple advertisements on Backpage.com, and sometimes within minutes customers would call. Law enforcement recovered multiple “throwaway” cell phones that customers would call to arrange a “date” with the girls. Customers were then told which hotel to visit but not the room number, which allowed the members of the conspiracy the opportunity to observe the customer and ensure he was not an undercover detective. Once they believed the customer was not a policeman, they would call or text the customer with the room number.
Customers were charged at least $80 for 15 minutes of sex, $100 for 30 minutes, and $200 for 60 minutes. The girls were also instructed to charge more for “extras” and were encouraged to always try to get more money from the customers. The girls generally made at least $500 per day and sometimes made $3,000 per day. The girls were required to give all of their money to Barcus, Dumas, or other members of the enterprise. Some of the money was used to purchase narcotics, such as marijuana, “Molly,” which were given to the girls to induce them to continue prostituting.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department, with assistance from the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Frank and Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies—along with non-governmental organizations—dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Maryland Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison on Federal Charges of Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography

WASHINGTON—A 37-year-old man from Silver Spring, Maryland was sentenced today to 14 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to federal charges of transportation and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pled guilty in December 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer. Upon completion of his prison term, the defendant must register as a sex offender for 25 years. He also will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in August 2010, an underage girl reported to the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department that the defendant had been sexually abusing her for three years in Maryland and in another state. The girl also told authorities that, using his cellphone, the defendant videotaped the abuse. Further investigation revealed that the defendant transported the videotaped images of the sexual contact with the girl.
A subsequent search warrant of the defendant’s residence revealed that he possessed numerous still images and videos in several electronic devices including cameras, cellular phones, and computers. Those images depict him engaging in sexual contact with the girl.
This case was initiated by the Montgomery County Police Department and referred to the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended Montgomery County Police Department Sgt. Errol Birch and Detective Kristie Taylor for their work on the investigation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Julieanne Himelstein, who prosecuted the case.

Waterbury Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offense

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced Paul D’Ambrosio, 49, of Waterbury, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 8, 2012, a Hartford Police detective assigned to the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force logged into a publicly available Internet file sharing program and downloaded approximately 50 images and 10 videos of child pornography from shared directories maintained by D’Ambrosio. On August 30, 2012, task force agents searched D’Ambrosio’s residence and seized a laptop computer and related components. A forensic search of the computer revealed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, including images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct and images of children engaging in sadistic or masochistic conduct.
Judge Arterton has scheduled sentencing for June 3, 2013, at which time D’Ambrosio faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
D’Ambrosio has been released on bond under electronic monitoring by the United States Probation Office since his arrest on August 30, 2012.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Hartford Police Department. The Waterbury Police Department also assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.
The Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which is housed at the main FBI field office in New Haven, investigates crimes against children occurring over the Internet and provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. For more information about the task force, or to report child exploitation crimes, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Convicted Nassau County Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

JACKSONVILLE, FL—Senior United States District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Mickey Wayne Brazzell (58, Yulee) to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography. Brazzell is also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release following his incarceration. Brazzell pleaded guilty on July 18, 2011.
According to court documents, Brazzell has a prior conviction for a sexual offense against minor children. He was convicted in state court in Jacksonville on November 6, 2000, of lewd and lascivious conduct.
According to court documents, Brazzell was more recently identified as a possible suspect in a child pornography offense by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC referred this matter to the Florida Attorney General’s Office in Jacksonville (AGO) for further investigation. In June 2010, two AGO investigators made contact with Brazzell at his apartment in Yulee. Among other things, Brazzell admitted to investigators that he had received several images of boys between 12 and 13 years of age “having sex on each other.” Based upon this and other admissions, investigators seized Brazzell’s laptop computer.
On November 23, 2010, Brazzell was arrested by FBI agents and AGO officers at his residence in Yulee. During an interview, Brazzell told the agents, among other things, that he was given a computer by a friend, shortly after his other computer was seized and that he had pornography on the new computer. Subsequently, agents seized a second desktop computer and other computer media from Brazzell’s residence. These items were found to contain depictions of child pornography.
Approximately 900 images were recovered from Brazzell’s two computers, compact disks, and external thumb drive. At least 191 of the images depicted minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the former Child Predator Cybercrime Unit of the Florida Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Career Offender Sentenced to 14 Years in Sex Trafficking Case

PORTLAND, OR—Dwayne Jamal Hubbard, 24, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown to 168 months in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. The federal charges were filed in May 2012 after an investigation led by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force working in conjunction with the Tigard Police Department. On December 10, 2012, Hubbard pled guilty to sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment.
Today at his sentencing, the court found Hubbard qualified as a career offender based on his prior felony convictions, and this status subjected him to enhanced penalties. According to prosecutors, Hubbard met a 17-year-old female online, arranged a meeting, and immediately started encouraging her to engage in commercial sex acts by posting sexual advertisements on Backpage.com. Within days of meeting, the defendant took sexually suggestive photographs of her, created online advertisements, and began sending her out to engage in sex acts with strangers in exchange for money. Hubbard continuously pestered her through text messages asking her if she could make him some money.
“This defendant believed being a pimp and selling young women for sex was a low-cost way to earn significant financial benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall. “My office is committed to changing the cost side of the analysis—if you get caught sex trafficking in this district, we will work with our law enforcement partners to arrest you and seek the kind of stiff penalties that Congress envisioned for this crime.”
In crafting an appropriate sentence, Judge Brown noted the horrific nature of the offense and addressed the negative impact it has in our community. Because Hubbard agreed to accept responsibility for his crime and resolve his case early, the government recommended some downward variance to his guideline range to reach a 14-year sentence. The court agreed that by resolving early, the defendant prevented further harm to the victim that can only be compounded by protracted litigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah K. Bolstad.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Federal Jury Finds Former Ledyard Resident Guilty of Child Pornography Offenses

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found Matthew Wallace, 31, of Westerly, Rhode Island, formerly of Ledyard, guilty of one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Warren W. Eginton began on March 4, and the jury returned its verdict this afternoon after deliberating for approximately two hours.
According to the evidence disclosed during the trial, on January 19, 2010, a Milford Police detective assigned to the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force logged into a peer-to-peer Internet file sharing network and downloaded several images of child pornography from an Internet protocol (IP) address assigned to Wallace at his Ledyard residence. On May 28, 2010, law enforcement agents conducted a court-authorized search of Wallace’s residence and seized computers and hard drives. Forensic examination of the seized items revealed more than 500 images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge Eginton has scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2013, at which time Wallace faced a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Wallace has been released on a $100,000 bond since his arrest on December 16, 2010. Following today’s verdict, Judge Eginton ordered Wallace to be confined to his home. A hearing has been scheduled for March 13, 2013, to determine if Wallace will be allowed to remain released on bond or if he will be detained until his sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Milford Police Department. The Connecticut State Police and the Ledyard Police Department have provided valuable assistance to the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ray Miller and Neeraj Patel.
The Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which is housed at the main FBI Field Office in New Haven, investigates crimes against children occurring over the Internet and provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. For more information about the task force, or to report child exploitation crimes, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Waterbury Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offense

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced Paul D’Ambrosio, 49, of Waterbury, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 8, 2012, a Hartford Police detective assigned to the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force logged into a publicly available Internet file sharing program and downloaded approximately 50 images and 10 videos of child pornography from shared directories maintained by D’Ambrosio. On August 30, 2012, task force agents searched D’Ambrosio’s residence and seized a laptop computer and related components. A forensic search of the computer revealed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, including images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct and images of children engaging in sadistic or masochistic conduct.
Judge Arterton has scheduled sentencing for June 3, 2013, at which time D’Ambrosio faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
D’Ambrosio has been released on bond under electronic monitoring by the United States Probation Office since his arrest on August 30, 2012.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Hartford Police Department. The Waterbury Police Department also assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.
The Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which is housed at the main FBI field office in New Haven, investigates crimes against children occurring over the Internet and provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. For more information about the task force, or to report child exploitation crimes, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Dale City Man Sentenced to 220 Months for Producing Child Pornography

ALEXANDRIA, VA—MacArthur Taylor, 40, of Dale City, Virginia, was sentenced to 220 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for creating child pornography by himself engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Stephan M. Hudson, Prince William County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Taylor pleaded guilty on June 11, 2012, to producing child pornography. He was identified by law enforcement after he provided his Dell Streak Tablet to an acquaintance to repair. While attempting to repair the tablet, the acquaintance saw still images of a female minor in various states of undress. A video produced by Taylor was also later discovered on the tablet showing the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. When law enforcement interviewed the young girl, she admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conduct with Taylor for the past two years.
The investigation was conducted by the Prince William County Police Department and FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jay V. Prabhu and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Maureen C. Cain are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Multiple Teen Girls and Running a Child Exploitation Enterprise

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Edwin Barcus Jr., aka “Boo,” 27, of Georgia, pleaded guilty to running a commercial sex business that prostituted at least seven juvenile girls in Herndon, Virginia, and other locations throughout Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, II; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Lt. Colonel James A. Morris, Acting Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.
Barcus pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced on June 7, 2013.
“Edwin Barcus made his living exploiting vulnerable young girls and luring them into prostitution,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “Barcus saw these girls as his property—even making them get tattoos with his nickname. Thanks to the FBI, Fairfax County Police Department, and the members of our Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force, his operation is shut down and can no longer victimize these girls.”
“Recruiting, exploiting, and transporting juveniles for the purpose of underage prostitution is a cruel form of modern-day slavery,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Prostitution is not a victimless crime. The FBI is committed to apprehending individuals who sexually exploit juveniles, and we will continue to work to identify these predators and their victims.”
According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, since August 2007, Barcus has led and organized a commercial sex organization that has prostituted at least 23 women, including at least four of whom were 16 years old and at least three of whom were 17 years old when Barcus began prostituting them. He targeted juveniles who had run away from home or lived in a broken home, sometimes making them believe that he or other members of the organization were romantically interested in them. Barcus also stated that he purchased clothing and shoes for girls he wanted to recruit as a means of luring them into the venture.
Barcus admitted that he used Backpage.com and other erotic Internet sites to advertise the girls’ services and to recruit girls to work for his organization. When the girls found it difficult to repeatedly have sex with strange men, Barcus and others provided them with alcohol and narcotics to make them more vulnerable and susceptible to prostitution.
Barcus and other conspirators carried and, when necessary, brandished firearms while engaging in prostitution-related activities, and Barcus battered at least three of the females working for his commercial sex enterprise. At times, Barcus had the women and girls he prostituted tattooed with his nickname “Boo.”
In November 2012, Barcus was prostituting at least one juvenile in Herndon, Virginia, while another member of his organization was prostituting other females in Atlanta, Georgia. Because the venture was yielding substantial profits in Herndon, Barcus instructed the conspirator to bring two 17-year-old girls to Herndon. When one of the girls objected, she was told that “under the rules of the game” she had to go to Virginia. Barcus admitted that each girl servicing clients in Herndon could obtain $500 or more per day. All the money was turned over to Barcus or other members of the enterprise.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department, with assistance from the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Frank and Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies—along with nongovernmental organizations—dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

U.S. Attorney Wigginton Announces Six-Count Indictment Against Belleville Martial Arts Instructor for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that a United States grand jury has returned a six-count indictment against Belleville martial arts instructor Christopher M. Horton, 20, of Highland, Illinois, charging him with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. The alleged violations took place between on or about May 1, 2012 and February 11, 2013, in Madison and St. Clair Counties. Horton had been charged in a two-count federal criminal complaint for sexual exploitation of a minor on February 15, 2013, as part of a joint investigation and prosecution undertaken by the United States Attorney’s Office, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. The court has ordered that Horton be held without bond pending trial.
The offenses charged in the indictment allege that, between on or about May 1, 2012 and February 11, 2013, Horton video recorded himself engaged in sexual activity with three minors and attempted to engage a fourth minor in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing a recording of the conduct.
A federal trial date has not yet been set. If convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor, Horton faces a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years but not more than 30 years in prison on each count, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five years, up to and including, a lifetime of supervision once he is released.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”
The case was investigated by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Metro East Cyber Crimes and Analysis Task Force; the Highland, Illinois Police Department; and the Belleville, Illinois Police Department. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Ali Summers.

Former Markham Deputy Police Chief Arrested on Federal Civil Rights Charge Alleging Aggravated Sexual Abuse

CHICAGO—The former deputy police chief in south suburban Markham was arrested today after being charged in a federal indictment with violating the civil rights of a victim through acts that included aggravated sexual abuse. The defendant, Tony D. DeBois, was arrested at his home this morning without incident by special agents of the FBI. DeBois was the deputy chief of the Markham Police Department when the alleged crime occurred on September 23, 2010.
DeBois, 41, of Matteson, was scheduled to appear at 2:15 p.m. today before U.S. District Magistrate Judge Sidney I. Schenkier in federal court. He was charged in a single-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury yesterday and unsealed today following his arrest.
The indictment alleges that on September 23, 2010, while acting in his official capacity as Markham deputy police chief, DeBois violated the victim’s right to bodily integrity by acts that included aggravated sexual abuse.
DeBois served as deputy chief between 2008 and approximately 2011, and he was also the Markham Police Department’s head of internal affairs between 2007 and approximately 2011, when he became Markham’s inspector general until sometime in 2012. DeBois began his law enforcement career with the former Chicago Housing Authority Police Department in the 1990s, and he was a police officer in south suburban Harvey from 1999 to 2007, when he joined the Markham Police Department.
The arrest and indictment were announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They thanked Anita Alvarez, Cook County State’s Attorney, for her office’s extensive cooperation in the investigation, as well as the Illinois State Police.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney April Perry.
The felony civil rights violation carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that the charge is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Former Gymnastics Coach Charged with Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor and Attempted Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced the arrest of defendant Raymond Adams, 42, of Boca Raton, in connection with a seven-count indictment charging Adams with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, possession of child pornography, and attempted receipt of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1470, 2252(a)(2) and 2252(a)(4)(B).
Adams, who is also facing pending state charges in Broward County 17th Judicial Circuit in case number 09019123CF10A related to molesting a 10-year-old gymnastics student of his in 2009, had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge William Matthewman yesterday. A pre-trial detention hearing is set for Monday, March 18, 2013, before the duty United States Magistrate Judge. If convicted, Adams faces a mandatory statutory minimum sentence of five years and a possible maximum statutory sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. In addition, Adams would have to register as a sex offender.
Anyone with any information about this case should contact the FBI at (305) 944-9101.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandy Brentari Galler.
An indictment is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Three Indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for Child Pornography Offenses

CHARLESTON, WV—United States Attorney Booth Goodwin today announced that three individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Charleston for child pornography offenses. Charles D. Cunningham, 39, of Milton, Cabell County, West Virginia, was charged with distribution and possession of child pornography. The two-count indictment alleges that on February 23, 2009, Cunningham distributed child pornography. The indictment also alleges that on May 22, 2009, Cunningham possessed computer images and videos of child pornography.
A second federal indictment handed down today charges Raymond Eugene Leake, 34, of Huntington, West Virginia, with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The four-count indictment alleges that on December 24, 2012 through January 13, 2013, Leake attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity. The indictment further alleges that on January 10, 2013, Leake received child pornography. Also, on January 13, 2013, Leake allegedly distributed child pornography.
A third federal indictment today charges Paul Silas Jenkins, 33, of Williamson, Mingo County, West Virginia, with production of child pornography. The indictment alleges that between 2010 and no later than December 2011, Jenkins persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.
Cunningham faces up to 30 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and a lifetime supervised release if convicted.
Leake faces up to life in prison, a $1 million fine, and a lifetime supervised release if convicted.
Jenkins faces up to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime supervised release if convicted.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation West Virginia Cyber Crimes Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force conducted the investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada is in charge of the prosecutions.
The indictments were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/wvs/PSCpage.html. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and follow the link named “Resources.”
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Former Teacher’s Aide Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison on Federal Child Sexual Exploitation Conviction

AMARILLO, TX—A former teacher’s aide in the Childress Independent School District (CISD), Shanice Adel Lambert, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson to 30 months in federal prison, following her guilty plea in November 2012 to one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. Lambert was remanded into custody at the time of her guilty plea, and her custody was continued following the sentencing hearing.
According documents filed in the case, through her employment in the CISD as a teacher’s aide, and through this individual’s association with one of her children, Lambert met “John Doe,” a 15-year-old student at the school where she worked. In February 2012, Lambert engaged in a relationship with John Doe that became sexual in nature. On February 11, 2012, Lambert traveled to Altus, Oklahoma, for the purpose, among others, of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with John Doe. After arriving in Altus, Lambert rented a motel room and engaged in sexual acts with John Doe.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “Resources.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, Texas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Drake, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Amarillo, Texas, prosecuted.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Former Hartford Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking Offense

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Bruce Damico, 35, formerly residing in Hartford; Providence, Rhode Island; and Queens, New York, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
“The federal penalties for the sex trafficking of minors are appropriately severe, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting these crimes and seeking lengthy sentences,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein. “I commend the FBI and Bloomfield Police for the coordinated effort that has brought this defendant to justice.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Damico recruited, harbored, and transported women and girls to engage in prostitution. As a part of his prostitution business, Damico posted Internet advertisements offering the women and girls for commercial sex acts, and Damico was paid by each woman and girl $100 per day for maintaining the advertisements. Damico booked hotel rooms where the women and girls would engage in commercial sex acts, and he transported, or arranged the transportation of, the women and girls to prostitution appointments.
In pleading guilty, Damico admitted that between June 2009 and January 2010, his prostitution enterprise knowingly employed a girl who was under the age of 18. Damico posted pictures of the minor victim on the Internet to advertise her prostitution services, and he and others working for him transported the minor victim between Connecticut and surrounding states to engage in prostitution.
Judge Underhill has scheduled sentencing for May 24, 2013, at which time Damico faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Damico has been detained since his arrest by the Bloomfield Police on January 22, 2010.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bloomfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David E. Novick.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Laurel Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

GREENBELT, MD—Frank Alan Klukosky, age 43, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to producing child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief Richard McLaughlin of the Laurel Police Department; Howard County Police Chief William McMahon; and Elton Malone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations, Special Investigations Branch.
According to the plea agreement, in June 2012, a federal probation officer discovered images and videos of child pornography on the cell phone of a registered sex offender on federal probation. Further investigation revealed that on June 24, 2012, Klukosky drove to the registered sex offender’s home in Laurel with an SD card that contained at least 120 images and six videos of child pornography. Klukosky then helped the registered sex offender load those images and videos onto his computer and cell phone.
On October 23, 2012, the FBI executed a search warrant at Klukosky’s home and seized video cameras, key fob cameras, computers, an external hard drive, and other computer accessories. The external hard drive contained approximately 2,000 images and 16 videos of child pornography, including 11 videos depicting a 13-year-old girl in a bathroom. The videos were taken with hidden key fob cameras. The videos were recorded on at least 10 occasions and depict the victim in stages of undress. In at least one of the videos, Klukosky is recorded while setting up or taking down the camera.
As part of his plea agreement, Klukosky must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Klukosky and the government have agreed that if the court accepts the plea agreement Klukosky, will be sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2013, at 1:00 p.m.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from 10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The task force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, the Laurel and Howard County Police Departments, and HHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi O’Malley, who is prosecuting the case.

Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography and Extortion, Faces 15 Years in Prison

KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Oklahoma man pleaded guilty in federal court today to extorting a 14-year-old Missouri girl into sending him pornographic photos of herself.
Jeran Randall Secratt, 28, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to producing child pornography and to extortion.
By pleading guilty today, Secratt admitted that he met a 13-year-old Missouri girl (identified as “Jane Doe” in court documents) in an online virtual videogame, and they began chatting online. Some of their chats contained sexually explicit language and references to proposed sexual acts between the two of them.
Over time, Secratt suggested that Jane Doe obtain a webcam so that she could send explicit images of herself to him. Jane Doe obtained a webcam for Christmas and, in multiple chats, Secratt enticed Jane Doe to send him pornographic pictures of herself. Jane Doe refused to do so until Secratt threatened to send copies of their prior sexual chats to all the persons on her e-mail contact list. This list contained contact information of friends and family, including Jane Doe’s grandmother. In response to this threat to her reputation, Jane Doe took explicit photos of herself and sent them to Secratt. Some of the images were subsequently found on Secratt’s computer.
The court accepted Secratt’s guilty plea today and took the plea agreement under advisement until the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. If the court accepts the plea agreement, Secratt will be sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole, followed by a period of supervised release of no less than five years.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine Fincham. It was investigated by the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force (Kansas City Division) and the FBI (Oklahoma City Division).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 120 Months for Child Sex Trafficking

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Jonathan Adonay Fuentes, aka “Cheesy” and “Crazy Boy,” 21, of Clinton, Marlyland, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for sex trafficking a juvenile female as part of a prostitution enterprise operated by the violent street gang Mara Salvatrucha Thirteen (MS-13).
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Fuentes, an El Salvadoran-born U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a child on November 27, 2012.
“As the driver for MS-13, Fuentes transported a young girl to various hotels and apartments—helping the gang exploit her as a child prostitute,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “We have a zero-tolerance policy against anyone who makes it possible to profit from the sexual slavery of children.”
“Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who force young girls into prostitution, as well as those who allow it, will pay the price for their actions,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to ensure that anyone who commits any form of child exploitation will be pursued and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents, Fuentes assisted his fellow MS-13 gang members from the fall of 2009 through the spring of 2010 run a prostitution ring that specialized in selling juvenile girls for commercial sex. Fuentes admitted in court that he transported a teen girl within Virginia and Maryland to engage in sex with clients. The large majority of appointments took place at an MS-13-controlled apartment in Maryland; however, Fuentes also prostituted the young girl at various hotels throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Gang members supplied the victim with drugs and alcohol to keep her compliant.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Fairfax County Police Department and HSI, all of whom participate in the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Terwilliger and Patricia T. Giles are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies—along with non-governmental organizations—dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Fair Oaks Man Sentenced to Nearly Nine Years in Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Clifford Donald Wells, 56, of Fair Oaks, today to eight years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court records, Wells maintained a collection of approximately 6,000 videos and 60,000 still images depicting minors engaged in various types of sexually explicit conduct. He shared and posted the images from his computer to others on the Internet. Wells pleaded guilty to distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on October 23, 2012.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Prince prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “Resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.

Man Sentenced to Serve 35 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced the sentencing of David Kinh Duc Tran in federal court yesterday based upon his convictions for production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 251(a) and (e). United States District Judge Thomas J. Whelan sentenced the defendant to serve 420 months (35 years) in federal prison and also ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
On April 25, 2012, during the second day of his jury trial, Tran elected to plead guilty to all five counts of producing child pornography outside of the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) and (e). Specifically, he admitted to producing five videos of sexual exploitation of several children while he was teaching in Vietnam.
According to court documents, Tran stated that he lived in Vietnam for approximately two years and returned to the United States before his arrest. Based on a tip, on August 19, 2010, the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) executed a search warrant on Tran’s motel room. Agents seized a laptop computer that was sent to the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL) to be analyzed. That analysis revealed a video of Tran teaching English in Vietnam and videos of the defendant having sex with girls who appear to be between 6 and 12 years old. The defendant has been in custody since his arrest in August 2010.
This case stems from an investigation by San Diego Police Department officers assigned to the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose members include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the Chula Vista Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Office, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the National City Police Department, the LaMesa Police Department, the Oceanside Police Department, the El Cajon Police Department, the San Diego State University Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’’s Department, and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. For additional information regarding ICAC, please visit www.sdicac.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC and Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources”.
Defendant in Case Number: 10cr3668W
David Kinh Duc Tran
Summary of Charges
Five counts, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) and (e) (production of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct)
Investigating Agencies
San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force

Orlando Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child Pornography

ORLANDO—Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway sentenced Rodney A. Lick (42, Orlando) today to 20 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. The court also ordered Lick to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Lick was also ordered to forfeit his interest in the computers that he used to commit the offenses. He pleaded guilty on June 13, 2012.
According to court documents, Lick distributed videos depicting the violent, sexual abuse of infant and toddler boys to several undercover law enforcement agents. In December 2011, Lick communicated with an officer acting in an undercover capacity and arranged to have sex with the officer’s fictional 6- and 10-year-old stepsons. In March 2012, agents executed a search warrant at Lick’s home and found more than 500 images and 97 videos showing the sexual abuse of prepubescent boys on his computer. The agents also located chat conversations where Lick encouraged others to sexually abuse their children. Lick, a truck driver, admitted that he had been distributing child pornography for at least three years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “Other Resources.”

Eagle Butte Woman Indicted for Child Abuse

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for child abuse.
Alex White Eyes, age 23, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 13, 2013. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 19, 2013, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years of custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years of supervised release; and a $100 special assessment. Restitution may also be ordered. The charge is merely an accusation, and White Eyes is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikal Hanson is prosecuting the case. White Eyes was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.