ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced that Richard Bailey, 55, of Rochester, New York, who was convicted of distributing and receiving child pornography, was sentenced to 96 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who handled the case, stated that Bailey used peer-to-peer software to obtain and distribute images of child pornography. The defendant avoided detection by stealing other people’s wireless Internet connection to trade the child pornography. This conduct exposed people who were innocent of any wrongdoing to the risk of having search warrants executed on their homes.
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig.
Showing posts with label new york. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new york. Show all posts
Friday, February 14, 2014
Greece Man Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting a Child
ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Terrance Junot, III, 37, of Greece, New York, who was convicted of online enticement of a minor, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Frank P. Geraci. The defendant was also placed on supervised release for 10 years upon his release. He will also have to register as a sex offender.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who handled the case, stated that the defendant engaged in a series of sexually explicit online communications with a 13-year-old child who was a family friend. During those communications, Junot repeatedly talked about having sex with the child,and persuaded her to produce sexually explicit photographs of herself that he then made her send to him over the Internet. The defendant also sent sexually explicit photos of himself to the child during these chats in order to groom and manipulate her into sending her photos to him. The government noted at sentencing that the defendant would spend time with the victim’s parents during the day bowling, while at the same time sexually exploiting their 13-year-old daughter at night without their knowledge.
The case came to the attention of law enforcement after the child’s mother found naked photos of the defendant on her child’s phone. The parent recognized Junot and took the phone to the Greece Police, who began an investigation. When the defendant learned that law enforcement would be investigating, he erased all the photos, chats, and even the chat program he used to solicit and entice the child from his cell phone. This conduct resulted in a sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice.
In the course of their investigation, Greece Police executed several search warrants and searched the victim’s cell phone. Following their discovery of sexually explicit pictures of the victim, Greece Police contacted the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force for assistance. This team, made up of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as officers from the Rochester Police Department and deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, continued the investigation, conducted forensic searches of the digital equipment in the case, and ultimately arrested the defendant on federal charges.
“It’s a message that I share with parents and guardians every chance I get—please keep a very close eye on what your children do online and on their cell phones,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “The mother of the victim in this case did just that, and now the predator that victimized her child will be spending many years behind bars. Let this case serve as an example to other parents to be on alert and if you suspect a problem, please contact police.”
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of officers of the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Todd Baxter; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Spero; officers of the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Chief Michael Ciminelli; and deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who handled the case, stated that the defendant engaged in a series of sexually explicit online communications with a 13-year-old child who was a family friend. During those communications, Junot repeatedly talked about having sex with the child,and persuaded her to produce sexually explicit photographs of herself that he then made her send to him over the Internet. The defendant also sent sexually explicit photos of himself to the child during these chats in order to groom and manipulate her into sending her photos to him. The government noted at sentencing that the defendant would spend time with the victim’s parents during the day bowling, while at the same time sexually exploiting their 13-year-old daughter at night without their knowledge.
The case came to the attention of law enforcement after the child’s mother found naked photos of the defendant on her child’s phone. The parent recognized Junot and took the phone to the Greece Police, who began an investigation. When the defendant learned that law enforcement would be investigating, he erased all the photos, chats, and even the chat program he used to solicit and entice the child from his cell phone. This conduct resulted in a sentencing enhancement for obstruction of justice.
In the course of their investigation, Greece Police executed several search warrants and searched the victim’s cell phone. Following their discovery of sexually explicit pictures of the victim, Greece Police contacted the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force for assistance. This team, made up of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as officers from the Rochester Police Department and deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, continued the investigation, conducted forensic searches of the digital equipment in the case, and ultimately arrested the defendant on federal charges.
“It’s a message that I share with parents and guardians every chance I get—please keep a very close eye on what your children do online and on their cell phones,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “The mother of the victim in this case did just that, and now the predator that victimized her child will be spending many years behind bars. Let this case serve as an example to other parents to be on alert and if you suspect a problem, please contact police.”
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of officers of the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Todd Baxter; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Spero; officers of the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Chief Michael Ciminelli; and deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Manhattan U.S. Attorney and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Announce the Arrest of Australian Man for Extorting Minors into Creating Child Pornography
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced criminal charges against Mark Anthony Warren for engaging in a scheme to lure minor children over the Internet into engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which Warren secretly recorded and threatened to disseminate unless the minor children produced and sent him additional sexually explicit videos. Warren was charged with production and receipt of child pornography and extortion. Based on information provided by the FBI, Warren was arrested yesterday in Australia by the New South Wales Police Force and charged with related offenses.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, Mark Anthony Warren used social media and phony profiles to ensnare his minor victims and later force them into engaging in sexually explicit acts that he recorded. Warren allegedly believed he could hide behind the anonymity of the Internet and use special computer software to escape detection, but he was sorely mistaken. Protecting minors from individuals who prey on and attempt to exploit them is a high priority of this office, and thanks to the outstanding efforts of FBI agents and our prosecutors, Warren will be made to answer for his alleged crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos said, “Warren was arrested today for allegedly developing unsuspecting male minors into subjects of his self-directed production of child pornography. Posing as a teenager himself, he coerced them into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and later tormented them with the threat of releasing proof of this conduct to their families and friends. Once removed, the virtue of innocence can never be restored. The exploitation of minors is a cause of great concern, and the FBI will continue to go after networks of online pedophiles and other sexual predators who use the Internet to sexually exploit children.”
According to the allegations contained in the criminal complaint unsealed today:
From at least November 2013 to December 2013, Mark Anthony Warren used multiple false identities and posed as a teenage girl in order to trick, coerce, and extort minor male victims into producing child pornography at his direction. In particular, Warren created bogus accounts on various social media websites using false identities and posing as various teenage girls and a teenage boy. Using these bogus accounts, Warren contacted male minors, including a 14 year-old in New York, New York, and, posing as a teenage girl, engaged them in sexually explicit discussions via online chats. During these chats, Warren showed the minor males a pornographic video of a young woman whom Warren claimed to be and simultaneously secretly video recorded the minor males engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
After making these secret pornographic recordings of his minor victims, Warren contacted them again online and threatened to publish the videos to the victims’ families and friends unless the victims created additional pornographic videos of themselves and uploaded them to a particular website accessible by Warren. Warren provided the victims with specific, detailed instructions about the sexually explicit videos they were to make at his direction. He further threatened that if the minor male victims went to law enforcement, the victims would be arrested and charged with child pornography crimes. Warren also told his victims that he used particular computer software to obscure his identity and that he was beyond the reach of law enforcement.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. He also thanked the New South Wales, Australia Police Force and the Australian Federal Police. Mr. Bharara added that the investigation is continuing.
The FBI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through their switchboard at (212) 384-1000. It is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800- 843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Eun Young Choi and James Pastore are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, Mark Anthony Warren used social media and phony profiles to ensnare his minor victims and later force them into engaging in sexually explicit acts that he recorded. Warren allegedly believed he could hide behind the anonymity of the Internet and use special computer software to escape detection, but he was sorely mistaken. Protecting minors from individuals who prey on and attempt to exploit them is a high priority of this office, and thanks to the outstanding efforts of FBI agents and our prosecutors, Warren will be made to answer for his alleged crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos said, “Warren was arrested today for allegedly developing unsuspecting male minors into subjects of his self-directed production of child pornography. Posing as a teenager himself, he coerced them into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and later tormented them with the threat of releasing proof of this conduct to their families and friends. Once removed, the virtue of innocence can never be restored. The exploitation of minors is a cause of great concern, and the FBI will continue to go after networks of online pedophiles and other sexual predators who use the Internet to sexually exploit children.”
According to the allegations contained in the criminal complaint unsealed today:
From at least November 2013 to December 2013, Mark Anthony Warren used multiple false identities and posed as a teenage girl in order to trick, coerce, and extort minor male victims into producing child pornography at his direction. In particular, Warren created bogus accounts on various social media websites using false identities and posing as various teenage girls and a teenage boy. Using these bogus accounts, Warren contacted male minors, including a 14 year-old in New York, New York, and, posing as a teenage girl, engaged them in sexually explicit discussions via online chats. During these chats, Warren showed the minor males a pornographic video of a young woman whom Warren claimed to be and simultaneously secretly video recorded the minor males engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
After making these secret pornographic recordings of his minor victims, Warren contacted them again online and threatened to publish the videos to the victims’ families and friends unless the victims created additional pornographic videos of themselves and uploaded them to a particular website accessible by Warren. Warren provided the victims with specific, detailed instructions about the sexually explicit videos they were to make at his direction. He further threatened that if the minor male victims went to law enforcement, the victims would be arrested and charged with child pornography crimes. Warren also told his victims that he used particular computer software to obscure his identity and that he was beyond the reach of law enforcement.
* * *
Warren, 49, of New South Wales, Australia, is charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. He is also charged with one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; as well as one count of extortion, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. He also thanked the New South Wales, Australia Police Force and the Australian Federal Police. Mr. Bharara added that the investigation is continuing.
The FBI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through their switchboard at (212) 384-1000. It is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800- 843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Eun Young Choi and James Pastore are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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