Societal Effects of Child Pornography
What You Have to Know About Child Pornography Laws
What are the Charges of Child Pornography
Protect Your Children from Sexting
Sentencing and Punishment of Child Pornography
MS-13 Member Charged for Child Sex Trafficking
On October 5, 2012, the Eastern District of Virginia announced that Adonay Fuentes (“Cheesy or “Crazy Boy”) of Prince George’s County in Maryland was arrested for his role in a child sex trafficking ring. The ring was run by the Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) street gang.
U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride stated, “This arrest marks the twelfth gang member we have charged with child sex trafficking. We hope gang members and other pimps realize they face serious prison time for profiting from forcing these children in sexual slavery.”
According to the FBI and court records, Fuentes is an active member of the Normandie Locos Savatruch (NLS) branch of MS-13 and conspired with other gang members to enforce and maintain a juvenile prostitution scheme. The scheme occurred for several months, and at least three teenage girls were recruited into the prostitution scheme during those months.
Fuentes is suspected of recruiting different customers, speaking with continuing customers, collecting fees from prostitutes and customers, transporting the underage prostitutes to have sex with clients, and providing the underage girls with alcohol and drugs.
One victim was a runaway between the age of 15 and 16 during the time of the crime. According to court documents, the girl was forced into prostitution after members of the gang threatened to hurt her boyfriends is she did not cooperate. She was then forced to have sex with clients several times a day and every day during the week for at least a month.
James W. McJunkin, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, stated: “The sex trafficking of an individual completely against their will, by force or threat of force, is a form of modern-day slavery. The FBI and our partners on the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force will continue our focused effort to track down and bring to justice those who exploit our children and engage in human sex trafficking.”
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Previous Sex Offender Guilty in Child Pornography Production
On October 4, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced that Terrance Dion Robinson of Baltimore pleaded guilty to eight counts of “sexually exploiting minors to produce child pornography.” The FBI reports that Robinson was convicted of two crimes in the past that involved the sexual abuse of children.
Robinson pleaded guilty to the charges. During the plea agreement, Robinson stated that he produced images between 2007 and 2010 of prepubescent minors while he was alone with the minors. Robinson also admitted that he used a file sharing program to download images and videos off the internet that contained child pornography. He stored the images and videos on his laptop, his external hard drive, and other storage devices.
On October 18, 2010, detectives searched his residence and seized his computer and other equipment. The Child Abuse Unit under the Baltimore Police Department then conducted a forensic examination of the digital device and found images and videos that were produced by Robinson himself. The digital devices contained more than 600 images and at least four videos of children engaging in sexual conduct.
The forensic examiner examined Robinson’s computer, external hard drive, thumb drivers, flash drives, CDs, and DVDs and found that he searched for files, websites, and discussions that contained child pornography.
The FBI reports that Robinson now needs to “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 FBI also reports that Robinson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for each count of producing child pornography. He will face a lifetime of supervised release, and his sentencing will occur on March 25, 2013.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Last Defendants Convicted in Huge Sex Trafficking Case
On October 4, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced that the last three defendants were charged in the largest domestic sex trafficking case of all time for the Southern District of Texas. The operation was called Operation Total Exposure, and at least one minor was rescued during the investigation. The FBI reports that numerous other minors and adults have been returned to their families.
The following defendants enter their guilty pleas in front of U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes: John Butler of Houston, Jamine Lake of Houston, and Ronnie Presley formerly from Houston. All of the recent defendants were convicted of conspiracy of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Furthermore, Butler and Lake each pleaded guilty to one count of transportation, and Presley was convicted of two counts of transportation. Lake was convicted of one count of coercion and enticement while Presley was convicted of two counts for the same charge.
The previous defendants were William Hornbeak, Andre McDaniels, and Kristin Land who were all from Houston. Records from the court showed that the defendants disguised the sex businesses as modeling studios, health spas, massage parlors, and bikini bars throughout the Houston area.
Evidence presented to the court proved that the conspirators recruited women and minors to become prostitutes. Certain members of the commercialized sex business transported the women and minors to Houston who had ties previous ties to Kansas, Nevada, Arizona, and Florida. The FBI reports that many of the women were regularly beaten and threatened to make them cooperate. All of the money was taken from the women and minors so the victims were fully dependent on the conspirators.
The FBI reports that all of the defendants face 5 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for conspiracy. The coercion and enticement charge carries a penalty of 20 years in prison, and transportation carries a penalty of 10 years in prison.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation