ST. PAUL, Min. – A Virginia man will spend 16 years in prison using social media to coerce a teenage girl according to the U.S. Department of Justice in creating sexually explicit material.
The man was sentenced in federal court on Friday after pleading guilty to one count of producing child pornography in October. The Justice Department says the prison sentence will be followed by 20 years of supervised release.
According to federal officials, the 42-year-old Centerville, Virginia man had sexually oriented conversations with the girl on social media between November 2023 and February 2024. The girl was between 13 and 14 years old.
The man forced the girl to send him sexually explicit images and videos on Instagram. He also seduced the girl by sending her gifts, prosecutors say.
He flew from Virginia to Minnesota on February 17, 2024, to try to see the girl, but her family and law enforcement intervened, so he flew back to Virginia.
The man was arrested in Fairfax City, Virginia, in July.
If you know a child who may have been a victim of exploitation, call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit its website.
WCCO personnel
