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February 10, 2015 6:14 AM

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Milford Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Rolan Sosa, 36, of Milford, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment for receiving and distributing child pornography. Sosa also was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 16, 2011, detectives assigned to the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force in New Haven logged into a publicly available Internet file sharing program and downloaded 14 images of child pornography from a shared directory maintained by Sosa.
On December 15, 2011, Sosa was arrested at his residence in Milford. On that date, law enforcement agents also seized Sosa’s laptop computer. Subsequent analysis of the seized computer revealed 110 images and 134 video files of child pornography. Included in his collection of child pornography were images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Forensic review also revealed that Sosa distributed child pornography images and videos through the file sharing program located on his computer.
Sosa has been detained since his arrest. On October 9, 2012, he pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
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. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Henry Kopel.
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.

Rock Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Pornography and Destroying Evidence

A man who distributed child pornography and destroyed evidence pled guilty on February 14, 2013, in federal court in Sioux City.
Lennon Slade, age 27, from Rock Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of destruction of evidence.
At the plea hearing, Slade admitted that, between July 2011 and September 2011, he distributed child pornography. In a plea agreement, he admitted that, when officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at his house, he was inside the house destroying evidence.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Slade was taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Slade faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, $500,000 in fines, $200 in special assessments, and supervised release for five years to life following his imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Lyon 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.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 12-4080.

Baltimore City Firefighter and Another Baltimore Man Indicted on Charges Related to the Operation of a Sex Trafficking Business

BALTIMORE—Jamar Marvin Simmons, a/k/a “Mar,” age 30, of Baltimore, was ordered to be detained today on federal charges relating to a commercial sex trafficking business allegedly run by Simmons, a Baltimore City firefighter, and co-defendant Franklin Roosevelt Coit, a/k/a “Frank,” and “Nitty,” age 34, also of Baltimore. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on February 13, 2012.
The charges were 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; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein.
According to the six count indictment, from July 2009 through July 2012, Simmons and Coit established and operated a brothel in Baltimore City and rented hotel rooms and another dwelling in Maryland that were also used for prostitution. Simmons and Coit falsely advertised positions online for exotic dancing and an escort service to recruit females, including at least one minor female, from inside and outside the state of Maryland, and arranged to transport the women from various locations outside Maryland, including Delaware, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, South Dakota, and Virginia to Maryland to engage in prostitution. The indictment alleges that the defendants took sexually explicit photographs of the females they recruited, used a computer to post the photographs on the “escort” section of an online advertising website, and listed telephone numbers on the website where the females could be reached to schedule a “date,” or a commercial sex act. Simmons and Coit set the pricing for the commercial sex acts and instructed the females on how to set “dates” over the telephone and how to avoid detection by law enforcement. According to the indictment, Simmons and Coit collected and shared the cash proceeds of the prostitution business and used a firearm and ammunition to protect the prostitution business and its cash proceeds.
The defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy; a maximum of life in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for sex trafficking of a minor; 20 years in prison for enticing or coercing individuals to engage in prostitution; and 10 years in prison for interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution. Coit also faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Coit is detained on state charges and no federal court appearance has been scheduled.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 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.
MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md/Human-Trafficking/index.html.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Yasser, who is prosecuting the case.

Parkville Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Sexual Bondage of 15-Year-Old Gir

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced John Andrew Blaes, age 49, of Parkville, Maryland, today to 27 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiracy to produce child pornography and transporting a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Judge Bredar ordered that upon his release from prison, Blaes 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).
The sentence 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; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to the plea agreement, at some time prior to March 2010, Blaes and 37 year old co-conspirator Margaret Jones met online and became involved in a sexual relationship. Blaes used the Internet to recruit other women and girls into a bondage and sadistic sexual lifestyle.
On July 5, 2011, Blaes solicited a 15-year-old girl to have sex with him and Jones. Blaes and Jones knew that the victim was a vulnerable minor. Blaes and Jones sent pornographic pictures of themselves to the victim using the computer.
On July 22, 2011, Blaes and Jones traveled to the victim’s home in North Carolina to bring her to live with them in Parkville. After picking the victim up in North Carolina, Blaes and Jones sexually abused her in the back of their vehicle, including using bondage with ropes, chains, and clamps. The next day, Blaes and Jones rented a hotel room in North Carolina to have sex with the victim. Blaes and Jones used a camera to document the sexual abuse of the victim in the van and the hotel. The images include sadistic and masochistic conduct.
From July 22 to November 20, 2011, Blaes and Jones engaged in sex acts with the victim multiple times a week. Blaes also cut the victim and held lemons to her injuries. Blaes and Jones instructed the victim to keep the sexual conduct and her age a secret. The victim was kept in their residence or in their control at all times and was not enrolled in school.
Blaes and the co-conspirator used a camera and cell phones to photograph the victim in sexually explicit poses and their sexual abuse of the victim. Blaes distributed the sexually explicit images online to recruit other individuals.
Margaret Ellen Jones, of Parkville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2013, at 4:00 p.m.
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, HSI Baltimore, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel M. Yasser and Judson T. Mihok, who prosecuted the case.

Belleville Martial Arts Instructor Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Christopher M. Horton, 20, a Belleville martial arts instructor who lives in Highland, Illinois, was charged in United States District Court (federal), in a two-count criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of a child. In making this announcement, United States Attorney Wigginton noted that the federal charges were brought as part of a joint investigation and prosecution undertaken by his office, as well as the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. The alleged federal violations took place between on or about May 1, 2012 and February 9, 2013, in Madison and St. Clair Counties. After a federal detention hearing held today, the court ordered that Horton be held without bond pending trial. Charges and bonds in both St. Clair and Madison Counties have also been filed.
“The facts alleged in the criminal complaint are shocking and horrific. I will use all of my resources to ensure that these charges are proven beyond a reasonable doubt so that this person is placed where he can never prey upon our children again,” said United States Attorney Wigginton.
US Attorney Wigginton’s comments were echoed by Saint Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly, who said, “These alleged crimes against our children demand the swift and severe action taken by the U.S. Attorney, my office, and my counterpart in Madison County.”
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons noted, “I want to thank everyone who played a role in the investigation and charging of the defendant. By working together, we were able to uncover the vile acts committed by this man. These types of investigations are always heartbreaking, and we will do everything we can to ensure that this predator is punished and removed from society and our victims get the justice they deserve.”
The offenses charged in the federal complaint allege that, between on or about May 1, 2012 and February 9, 2012, Horton video-recorded himself engaged in sexual activity with two minors.
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 of imprisonment 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.
A criminal complaint 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 Attorney Ali Summers.

Casselberry Man Sentenced to Life for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Minors

ORLANDO—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that U.S. District Chief Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Paul C. Lorenz, III (62, Casselberry, Florida) to life in federal prison for aggravated sex abuse of minors, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The court also ordered Lorenz to pay more than $72,000 in restitution to the victims of the offenses and to forfeit his interest in the computers and video cameras that he used to commit the offenses.
Lorenz pleaded guilty on September 24, 2012. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message about the priority that we place upon protecting our children from criminals like this,” said U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill. “Together, along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute serious offenses such as these and work to pursue the stiffest penalties under the law.”
According to court documents, Lorenz babysat several children while employed as a maintenance technician at a Church in Pasadena, Maryland. During this time, he sexually abused a young girl under his care over the course of approximately six years, beginning when she was 5 years old. Lorenz recorded the abuse using his digital camera and video recorder and stored the pictures and videos on his hard drive. He moved to Casselberry, Florida, in October 2011 and brought the videos with him. Last year, in January 2012 and March 2012, Lorenz returned to Maryland to assist with family issues. While in Maryland, he babysat another 5 year old girl and sexually abused her. As he had done with his previous victim, Lorenz recorded the abuse and stored the pictures and videos on his computer.
Lorenz returned to Florida in April 2012. A few weeks later, law enforcement officers learned of the abuse, obtained a search warrant for Lorenz’s home, and seized his computers and cameras. A computer forensics examiner located over 14,000 pictures and 1,500 videos documenting Lorenz’s abuse of the two children on Lorenz’s electronic storage devices. In addition, the examiner located thousands of images of child pornography documenting the sexual abuse of unidentified children on Lorenz’s storage devices. Lorenz told investigators that he had downloaded the child pornography images from the Internet during the previous 15 years.
This case was investigated by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being 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 “Resources.”

Nashville Musician Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Attempted Enticement of a Minor

DALLAS—Abraham Eugene Spear, 30, of Nashville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Dallas before Chief U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to one count of attempted enticement of a minor. He faces a statutory penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release. Spear, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in September 2012 in Dallas, is to be sentenced by Judge Fitzwater on June 7, 2013. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Spear admitted that from August 27, 2012 through September 20, 2012, he used the Internet and a cell phone to knowingly attempt to persuade an individual, whom he believed to be a 7-year-old girl, to engage in sexual activity. Spear, using the monikers of MUSICMAN30 and BANJOPAINE, communicated over several weeks with an undercover law enforcement agent, whom Spear believed to be the mother of two girls, ages 7 and 9. During these communications, he persuaded, or attempted to persuade, the “mother” to allow him to meet her two girls to engage in different sexual acts with him. On September 20, Spear traveled from Tennessee to Dallas to perform with the Josh Thompson band at a bar in Dallas. That day, he agreed to meet the mom at a restaurant in Dallas, and, after he was identified, he was arrested by special agents with the FBI. Spear admitted that many of the messages he sent were sexual in nature and geared toward the “mother’s” 7- and 9-year-old daughters. Spear also admitted sending a sexually explicit photo of himself to the “mother,” asking what the girls would think of the photo.
Spear also admitted that he had engaged in sexually explicit communications with other mothers of minor girls, including one in which he offered to pay $200 to engage in sexual acts with the mother’s minor daughter.
The matter was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks is in charge of the prosecution.

Homer Resident Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Drugs to Teenage Girls and Possessing Child Pornography

ANCHORAGE—U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a Homer charter boat captain was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for one consolidated count of distributing drugs to underage individuals and one count of possession of child pornography.
Randall Scott Hines, age 34, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess to 10 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years’ supervised release. Following his release from federal custody, Hines must register as a sex offender for 15 years.
In imposing the 10-year sentence on Hines, Judge Burgess stated that the facts Hines admitted in the plea agreement “underscore just how serious this offense was.” These facts included that between 2008 and 2011, Hines engaged in sexual relationships with a series of teenage girls in Homer. Hines frequently supplied these same girls with methamphetamine or other drugs, often in conjunction with having sex with them. Four of the six teenage girls with whom Hines had a sex and drug relationship were under the age of 16 at the time and thus were under Alaska’s legal age of consent.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Sayers-Fay, who prosecuted the case, Hines’ 10-year sentence and 10-year period of supervised release reflects that his crimes involved a pattern of sexual abuse. Hines also pled guilty to possessing a sexually explicit video clip of him engaged in sex conduct with one of the minor victims. By virtue of that child pornography conviction, Hines will be required to register as a sex offender for 15 years following his release from federal custody.
During his sentencing remarks, Judge Burgess rejected the suggestion that Hines’ own methamphetamine addiction mitigated his culpability for his conduct. Judge Burgess told Hines, “[T]he bottom line is, in those instances that were outlined and detailed in the plea agreement in this case, there was one adult in the room. One adult. And that was you. You were the adult. I don’t care if you were drunk. I don’t care if you were on methamphetamine or oxycodone. You were the adult in the room, and you didn’t act like the adult in the room.” The judge added, “I hope this is a cautionary tale.”
Hines’ plea agreement required him to fund a $160,000 trust fund to help victims obtain drug treatment and counseling. Judge Burgess noted this positive step, but observed that it would not make amends for the crimes, which had “significant and devastating effect on the victims and their families,” many of whom had sought restraining orders against Hines. As one mother told the court, Hines’ “age and finesse” allowed him to manipulate young women who had “not yet developed the ability to discern or recognize the evilness of his ways.”
Ms. Loeffler commends the persistence of the victims and their families in this case, as well as the work of the FBI and Anchorage Police Department Vice Unit as part of the Innocence Lost Task Force, whose combined efforts culminated in Hines’ convictions.

Opelika Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

MONTGOMERY, AL—U.S. Attorney George L. Beck, Jr., announced today that Kevin Darcy Golden, age 45, of Auburn, Alabama, was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. If Golden is released from prison, he will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life.
Between at least April and December 2011, Golden produced numerous videos of female children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On some occasions, Golden secretly filmed the children removing their clothing while at his residence, and on other occasions Golden filmed himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the children while they were unconscious.
“Performing sexual acts on children is one of the most despicable things a person can do,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck. “We will not tolerate it and will work feverishly to stop this horrific conduct.”
“Cases related to the exploitation of children are of the most important investigations we shoulder in the FBI,” stated Steve Richardson, FBI Special Agent in Charge, Mobile Field Division. “Our ability to investigate and prosecute these activities is enhanced when we work with our local and federal partners.”
“We appreciate the hard work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI in helping us make our community a safer place by bringing those to justice that would exploit our children,” stated Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson. “This case is another example of what can be accomplished by law enforcement working together.”
This case is being investigated by the Opelika Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Auburn (Alabama) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jared H. Morris and Nathan D. Stump.
This case is being 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 justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

Bonesteel Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse and Sexual Contact Charges

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Robert Louis Prue, Jr., age 34, of Bonesteel, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on February 6, 2013, and pled guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of sexual contact with a minor. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 17 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both; a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release; and a $200 special assessment.
The convictions stem from incidents that took place between June 22, 2011 and September 22, 2011, when Prue had sexual contact with a minor victim.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for April 8, 2013. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Benson December Coriolant Sentenced to 40 Years for Sex Trafficking a Child into the New Orleans Area

Benson December Coriolant, 30, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to 40 years in prison after he was previously convicted by a federal jury of sex trafficking of a child, conspiring with others to sex traffic a child, coercing and enticing an individual to engage in prostitution, and coercing and enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Dana J. Boente. This is the first human sex trafficking conviction in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to evidence introduced at trial, in late 2008, Coriolant met R.V., a 14-year-old female. Shortly thereafter, he began a sexual relationship with her. After convincing the minor that their relationship was one of boyfriend/girlfriend, Coriolant recruited R.V. to begin working for him as a prostitute in the Orlando area. Coriolant posted advertisements on multiple city-specific Internet classified ad websites offering prostitution services of the minor. Over the course of the next year, Coriolant forced R.V. to engage in dozens of sexual acts in exchange for money throughout the state of Florida. Coriolant forced R.V. to turn over the money she earned from prostitution either to him or one of his associates. Coriolant also provided R.V. with alcohol and illicit drugs, such as Ecstasy, as a way of numbing her senses and controlling her behavior.
In March 2010, Coriolant drove R.V., who was then 15 years old, to Kenner, Louisiana, to work as a prostitute. Coriolant used the New Orleans version of an online classified advertisement website to solicit individuals interested in paying for sex with the minor. Coriolant required R.V. to put the money she made from prostitution, thousands of dollars, into a bank account for his benefit. He further forced her to account for all of her expenses, including personal expenses, such as food, in a journal, daily letters, and text messages to him. Coriolant also instructed R.V. in what to charge for sex, how to provide him with the profits, how to attract business, how to avoid being apprehended by law enforcement, and how to perform certain sexual acts.
On April 24, 2010, R.V. was discovered by law enforcement authorities and ultimately sent back to Orlando with relatives. Once back in Orlando, Coriolant instructed R.V. to continue engaging in prostitution but to have sex only with regular, familiar clients because of concerns with law enforcement finding her.
In May 2010, Coriolant sent the minor back to New Orleans a second time to work as a prostitute. Coriolant again advertised sex with the minor on an online classified advertisement website. R.V. was arrested several days later.
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.
This case was further brought as part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, which was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the nine years since its inception, the initiative has resulted in the development of 47 dedicated task forces and working groups throughout the U.S. involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working in tandem with U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Division. The Tampa Division of the FBI and the Kenner, Louisiana Police Department also provided critical investigative assistance. The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Juliana Etland, and Sean Toomey.

London Couple Convicted on All Counts of Child Pornography Offenses

LONDON—A federal jury found a London, Kentucky couple guilty of photographing two children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The jury convicted 58-year-old Rickey L. Sherman and his wife, 33-year-old Corrine Sherman, late Wednesday afternoon of two counts of producing child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. The jury returned the verdict after approximately four hours of deliberation following three days of trial.
Evidence presented at trial showed that, in 2008, the Shermans produced approximately 40 images of two pre-pubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At the time Ricky Sherman was arrested for the federal offenses, he was on probation for a previous state offense. The investigation started when state authorities received a tip that Rickey Sherman violated terms of his probation by having access to a computer. The evidence revealed that Rickey Sherman contacted his wife as the investigation was underway, and she subsequently attempted to conceal a camera from law enforcement. The camera was recovered and found to contain the produced child pornography images.
Ricky Sherman owned Truck Town Repair in Laurel County. He and his wife were indicted in September 2011.
Kerry B. Harvey, U.S Attorney for Eastern District Kentucky; Perrye Turner, Special Agent in Charge, FBI; and Stewart Walker, Chief of the London Police Department, jointly announced the convictions.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the London Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman.
The Shermans will appear for sentencing on June 4, 2013. They face a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life. The couple will have to serve a minimum of 85 percent of the prison sentences imposed. The court will impose a sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes.

Teacher’s Aide Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

Earlier today, Taleek Brooks, a former teacher’s aide at a public elementary school in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to producing child pornography and distributing child pornography. The proceedings were held before United States Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann at the United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Brooks faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment when sentenced on May 23, 2013.
The guilty plea was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office.
Brooks, a teacher’s aide at Public School 243, The Weeksville School, in Brooklyn, regularly downloaded and distributed videos and images depicting child pornography over the Internet through a peer-to-peer file sharing program. In December 2011, Brooks accepted a “friend” request from an undercover FBI special agent, which permitted the agent to observe and download several videos and images depicting child pornography that Brooks had designated for sharing with his “friends” on the peer-to-peer network.
On January 13, 2012, FBI special agents executed a search warrant on Brooks’s residence in Brooklyn. During the search, agents seized, among other items, a computer and two external hard drives from Brooks’s bedroom. Hundreds of videos and images depicting child pornography were found on the computer equipment.
A FBI forensic examination of the equipment revealed that Brooks had produced child pornography. In a folder that Brooks had labeled “Special,” investigators recovered videos and images of a young child performing sexually explicit acts at Brooks’s direction. Brooks can be heard and seen in some of the videos. Investigators later confirmed that the young child had been a student at Public School 243 while Brooks was a teacher’s aide and that the videos and images were produced in two of the school’s classrooms.
“School is supposed to be a place of learning, where our children can excel and grow. Brooks turned his classroom into a place of fear and exploitation, taking advantage of the trust that was placed in him by a young child that he was charged with teaching and protecting. He spent his additional time and energy collecting images of the exploitation of yet more children. We stand committed to protecting our youth from those who abuse them and violate that trust,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “Today’s guilty plea stands as a strong warning to those who prey on our youth that we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos stated, “Brooks not only collected and traded images of child pornography, he created it when he directed and recorded a child performing sexually explicit acts in a school classroom. The FBI is committed to protecting children by policing child predators.”
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Polemeni.
Defendant:
Taleek Brooks
Age: 42

Salem Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography

PORTLAND, OR—U.S. District Court Anna J. Brown today sentenced Jefferson F. Williams, 49, of Salem, Oregon, to 60 months in prison for distribution of child pornography.
Salem FBI agents searched the Salem home of Williams on March 3, 2011, and seized his computer and related equipment. Undercover FBI agents in Texas had been monitoring a peer-to-peer file sharing system that allowed individuals to download and exchange files via the Internet. When the Salem computer belonging to Williams and his wife was identified, agents served a search warrant at the home and interviewed Williams regarding his distribution activities. He cooperated fully with law enforcement and admitted his involvement in the file trading program.
A forensic analysis revealed over 1,800 images of child pornography had been downloaded from the Internet. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children identified series images of 18 known victims stored on the seized computer.
Williams, a highly decorated retired U.S. Marine Corps gunnery sergeant and combat veteran, apologized to his family at his sentencing hearing. He had no criminal record and was active in community activities as a volunteer.
The seized computer was ordered forfeited, and Williams was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after his release from prison.
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.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Haub prosecuted the case.

Cincinnati Man Charged with 20 Counts of Producing Child Pornography

CINCINNATI—A federal grand jury has charged James O. Napier, 38, of Cincinnati with 20 counts of producing child pornography which involve an 11-month old infant and an approximately 9-year-old child, produced at different times.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and agencies in the Greater Cincinnati Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the indictment returned today.
The indictment alleges that in November 2009, Napier used an 11-month-old infant for sexual gratification, molested the infant, and made a video recording of it before placing it on the Internet. The indictment contains 19 counts alleging that as recently as November 2012, Napier sexually exploited a girl who was approximately 9 years old and produced videos of those acts. The indictment also charges Napier with one count each of transportation, distribution, and receipt of child pornography.
FBI agents arrested Napier on January 18 based on a complaint filed in U.S. District Court. The complaint was based on information from the FBI office in Phoenix that Napier was advertising the sale of child pornography on a website. Napier is being held without bond.
“Production of child pornography is punishable by at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison,” U.S. Attorney Stewart said. “Each of the other crimes is punishable by at least five and up to 20 years in prison. The investigation is continuing in case there are other victims.”
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.
Stewart commended the investigation by FBI agents and investigators with the Greater Cincinnati ICAC, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Muncy who is representing the United States in this case.
Agencies participating in the Greater Cincinnati ICAC, in addition to FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office include the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Secret Service, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil, and the police departments in Amberley Village, Blue Ash, Cincinnati, and West Chester.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Gang Member Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor

PORTLAND, OR—Pedro Cruz Gonzales, 33, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Jones to 13 years in federal prison following the defendant’s guilty plea to sex trafficking of a minor. Upon his release from prison, the defendant will serve a five-year term of supervised release.
In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that between August 2011 and September 2011, he recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, and maintained a minor female knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that she would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act.
Prior to imposing the sentence, Judge Jones recounted the defendant’s criminal history, his gang membership, and the nature of the crime and then noted that the defendant was “a very bad, bad and dangerous man” who “engaged in one of the worst forms of a crime, sex trafficking with a minor.” In imposing the 13-year sentence, the court directly addressed the defendant and told him, “Society needs to be protected from you.”
“We could not agree with Judge Jones more,” stated U.S. Attorney S. Amanda Marshall. “The prosecution of sex trafficking cases is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and sentences such as this send a powerful message that sex trafficking is a horrendous crime that we will aggressively prosecute.”
“Mr. Gonzales exploited one of the most vulnerable populations in society, runaway teenage girls, by preying upon their youth, vulnerabilities, and desperate circumstances,” said Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill. “Cases such as this highlight the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and victim service groups in investigating and prosecuting these cases, as well as the continued need for preventative measures to ensure kids never find themselves in this situation in the first place.”
This case was investigated by Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Prostitution Coordination Detail, the Portland Police Bureau’s Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking Unit, the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. Sexual Assault Resource Center helped with providing victim assistance. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Glen “J.R.” Ujifusa was the lead prosecutor on the case and was assisted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin. Mr. Ujifusa is a Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney who also prosecutes sex trafficking cases in federal court as a member of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Gang and Sex Trafficking Unit.

Fairfax Man Indicted for Producing Child Pornography and Attempted Enticement of a Minor

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Douglas Lee Payne, Jr., 31, of Fairfax, Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on child exploitation related charges.
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 Lt. Colonel James A. Morris, Acting Fairfax County Chief of Police made the announcement after the indictment was returned.
Payne was indicted on February 6, 2013, on one count of production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison; one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; one count of attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life; and one count of attempted travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct, which carries a maximum of 30 years in prison, if convicted.
According to the indictment and other court documents, during the investigation of a Fairfax County probation violation in December 2011, evidence was discovered of communications between Payne and a minor victim in Indiana. These communications involved both text messages and Skype chats. In these communications Payne asked the minor victim for nude images and instructed her on how to pose. Payne had at least one child pornography image of the minor victim, which she had sent to him. Payne and the minor victim also had conversations about Payne going to Indiana to visit a cousin and that he would stop to see the minor victim and have sex with her on his way home. In addition, Payne had other child pornography images in his possession. On December 28, 2011, Payne was on his way to Indiana when he was instructed to come home for a meeting with his Fairfax County probation officer.
This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Alicia J. Yass is 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.
Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.