Distributor of Child Pornography Sentenced

CHARLIE BENJAMIN FLOWERS, II, 34, of Cartersville, Georgia, was sentenced by District Court Judge Timothy C. Batten January 5 for collecting and trading images and videos of children being sexually abused.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This defendant’s collection represents the worst of the worst of child pornography. The videos and pictures that he shared with other online predators showed infants and toddlers being raped, fondled, and abused. By making these horrible images available to others, this defendant was helping to grow an industry that has no place in our society, and today he is being justly punished for what he did.”

FLOWERS was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. He is also required to register as a sex offender upon his release from custody. FLOWERS pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2010.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: In the summer of 2010, while operating in undercover capacities, three FBI agents, working independently of each other, encountered FLOWERS using online file sharing software to collect and distribute pictures and videos of infants and toddlers being sexually abused. Because FLOWERS typically accessed the Internet from a public node, it took several months for agents to determine his identity and location.

When he was finally apprehended, FLOWERS had in his possession a computer containing thousands of images of child pornography. His collection was almost exclusively focused on pictures and videos of infants and toddlers being raped, sodomized, and otherwise sexually abused. His online advertisement in the file-sharing forum announced his interest in and the availability of “only the youngest and hardest” images. Such images were acquired by each of the three undercover agents when, on separate occasions, FLOWERS gave them access to his collection.

Also found on FLOWERS’s computer was a file directory containing footage of FLOWERS groping a fully clothed toddler. FLOWERS had named the folder “first recorded molestation.”

This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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Making Strides to Keep Kids Safe in Car Crashes

/PRNewswire/ -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) this week announced its latest round of booster seat evaluations. State Farm, a long time supporter of IIHS, applauds these new findings and, like IIHS, encourages greater consistency in the way booster seats function across most vehicle makes and models.

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of accidental death of children over age one, yet most of these tragedies could be prevented through proper safety restraint use. Belt-positioning booster seats are used to properly position shoulder and lap belts to provide restraint in a car crash. A good booster seat directs the lap belt across the child's upper thighs, and the shoulder belt at midshoulder. IIHS provides examples of good belt fit and their booster seat evaluation results at www..iihs.org/news/rss/pr090810.html.

Research shows that up to 70 percent of child restraint systems are installed or used incorrectly. That's why, since 2001, State Farm has hosted more than 2000 car seat check-ups and inspected more than 73,000 car seats. "This is one way State Farm demonstrates its commitment to helping make our roadways safe for everyone," said Laurette Stiles, Vice President of Strategic Resources at State Farm. "We want to help parents with the important yet often complex task of protecting their children in the car."

More information about child passenger safety can be found at the Learning Center at www.statefarm.com. Find a car seat inspection site at www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm.

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Former Grady Hospital Emergency Room Doctor Sentenced to Over 26 Years in Child Exploitation Case

DR. ADAM WAYNE LEBOWITZ, 50, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced July 12 by United States District Judge Richard W. Story on charges of producing child pornography and attempting to coerce and entice a minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. LEBOWITZ was convicted of the charges by a jury on February 25, 2010, after a seven-day trial.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the sentence, “As a doctor, this defendant took an oath to ‘never do harm’ to anyone. He not only violated that oath, he sexually violated children and then published his violation on the Internet, victimizing the children each time the videos were viewed. His long term of incarceration ensures that he will no longer threaten another child.”

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Lamkin said, “Today's sentencing should remind us all that child predators come from all walks of life and efforts to offer profiles of such individuals to a concerned public are elusive at best for this very reason. The investigation and resulting successful prosecution of Mr. Lebowitz also serves as a good example of the need for parents to not only remain vigilant but to report suspicious activities to law enforcement authorities in order to protect their children from such predators.”

Coweta County Sheriff Michael Yeager said, “I appreciate a lot of hard work by many agencies to bring this case to a successful conclusion. Parents, get involved and stay involved with your children. Know where they are and who they are in contact with. As long as individuals like this continue to prey on our youth, law enforcement will be there to put them away, hopefully for a long time.”

LEBOWITZ was sentenced to 26 years and eight months in federal prison. He was also ordered to have no contact with victims in the case, and must register as a sex offender upon release from prison.

According to United States Attorney Yates, and the evidence presented in court at his trial: LEBOWITZ came to the attention of law enforcement officers at the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office on October 26, 2006, after a victim, a 15-year-old boy, received a series of e-mails and sexually graphic instant messages from LEBOWITZ. The victim’s mother contacted the sheriff’s office and reported these online messages sent by LEBOWITZ to her son. The sheriff's office then began an undercover investigation of LEBOWITZ that culminated in his arrest in the driveway of the victim’s home on November 2, 2006. Evidence at trial showed LEBOWITZ had multiple condoms and sexual lubricants inside his vehicle at the time of his arrest, and had planned to transport the victim to LEBOWITZ’s home in Decatur, Georgia.

Following the arrest, the sheriff’s office obtained and executed a search warrant of LEBOWITZ’s home. During the search, investigators seized three computers, two of which contained video recordings of LEBOWITZ engaged in sex acts with two young boys. Members of the FBI’s Safe Child Task Force identified the victims in the video recordings and contacted them. Both victims revealed that LEBOWITZ had recorded himself engaged in graphic sex acts with these victims when both were minors. An examination of LEBOWITZ’s computers, performed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), revealed that LEBOWITZ had sent images from his recordings of the two young victims over the Internet. He was indicted on the charges on June 12, 2007, and a superseding indictment was filed on February 9, 2010.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by members of the FBI’s Safe Child Task Force, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, the Clayton County Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), with valuable assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Computer Forensics Division. Assistance in this case was also provided by the Coweta County District Attorney’s Office.

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National Dental Management Company Pays $24 Million to Resolve Fraud Allegations

The United States today announced that it has settled False Claims Act allegations against FORBA Holdings LLC, a dental management company that provides business management and administrative services to 69 clinics nationwide known as “Small Smiles Centers.” Under the agreement, FORBA will pay the United States and participating states $24 million, plus interest, to resolve allegations that it caused bills to be submitted to state Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary dental services performed on children insured by Medicaid, which is funded jointly by the federal and state governments. FORBA has further agreed to put in place various remedial measures designed to prevent similar unlawful conduct from occurring in the future. The government’s investigation of individual dentists is ongoing, and FORBA is cooperating with that investigation by providing information about dentists who may have violated professional standards.

The United States alleged that FORBA was liable for causing the submission of claims for reimbursement for a wide range of dental services provided to low-income children that were either medically unnecessary or performed in a manner that failed to meet professionally-recognized standards of care. These services included performing pulpotomies (baby root canals), placing crowns, administering anesthesia (including nitrous oxide), performing extractions, and providing fillings and/or sealants.

“We have zero tolerance for those who break the law to exploit needy children,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “Illegal conduct like this endangers a child’s well-being, distorts the judgments of health care professionals, and puts corporate profits ahead of patient safety.”

Assistant Attorney General West praised the collaborative efforts of the federal and state agencies that made this result possible. The Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Maryland, the Western District of Virginia, the District of South Carolina, and the District of Colorado handled these cases. The Civil Division led the nationwide investigation, which was conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.

To resolve the allegations against it, FORBA will pay $24 million, plus interest. The federal share of the civil settlement is $14,285,645, and the states’ Medicaid share is $9,714,355.25. In addition, as part of the settlement, FORBA has agreed to enter into an expansive five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. The agreement provides for procedures and reviews to be put in place to avoid and promptly detect conduct similar to that which gave rise to this matter. Specifically, FORBA must engage external reviewers to monitor its quality of care and reimbursement processes. In addition, the chief dental officer must develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that the Small Smiles clinics provide services consistent with professionally recognized standards of care. FORBA has also agreed to cooperate in the government’s continuing investigation of individual dentists.

“We will not tolerate Medicaid providers who prey on vulnerable children and seek unjust enrichment at taxpayers’ expense,” said Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “This settlement reaffirms our commitment to protect the health and well-being of Medicaid beneficiaries and to ensure the integrity of this essential health care program.”

“Health care providers must be held accountable when they mistreat patients and overcharge insurers,” said Rod J. Rosenstein, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “We are committed to using our affirmative civil enforcement authority to protect patients from inadequate care and protect governmental health coverage programs from fraudulent charges.”

The government’s investigation was initiated by three lawsuits filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. These actions are pending in the U.S. District Courts for the District of Maryland, the Western District of Virginia, and the District of South Carolina. As part of today’s resolution, the three whistleblowers will receive payments totaling more than $2.4 million from the federal share of the settlement. “In this case, FORBA put greed and profits before the well-being of children,” said Timothy J. Heaphy, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. “It endangered the health and safety of innocent children and defrauded the taxpayer of millions of dollars. Today’s settlement addresses these egregious acts and sends a clear message that Medicaid fraud will be expeditiously addressed by this Department.”

This settlement with FORBA is part of the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in that effort is the False Claims Act, which the Department of Justice has used to recover approximately $2.2 billion since January 2009 in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs. The Justice Department’s total recoveries in False Claims Act cases since January 2009 have topped $3 billion.

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Bibb County Sheriff’s Deputy Found Guilty of Seeking Sex with Minor

After a three-day trial, a jury found GREGORY TODD BOWDEN, 43, of Byron, Georgia, guilty of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sex.

“Cases in which defendants seek to entice children to engage in sex are always disturbing; it is all the more shocking when the perpetrator is a member of our law enforcement personnel here in Georgia,” said Sally Quillian Yates, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “Defendant Bowden’s sexual pursuit of a 7-year old girl has resulted in a noteworthy conviction that will keep him away from children for many years.”

According to Acting United States Attorney Yates and the evidence presented during the trial: BOWDEN, an eight-year veteran of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Department, frequented online chat rooms in which he engaged in fantasy role-playing about incest and other child sex acts. In October 2008, he befriended a woman online whom he believed to have a 7-year-old daughter. This woman—actually an undercover FBI task force agent—was willing to make her daughter available to BOWDEN for sex. In February 2009, BOWDEN and the mother, through additional chats, e-mails, and phone calls, agreed to meet for the purpose of having three-way sex: BOWDEN, the mother, and the 7-year-old daughter. On February 11, 2009, BOWDEN drove 110 miles from his home in Byron to Sandy Springs, where he expected to meet the mother and her daughter. He was arrested at the scene. Agent later recovered a computer from his home on which they found child pornography and other evidence of interest in incest and sex with minors.

BOWDEN faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years in prison; he could receive a maximum sentence of life in prison. In determining the defendant’s sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. BOWDEN will be sentenced on March 16, 2010, at 2:30 p.m., before United States District Judge William S. Duffey, Jr.

This case is being investigated by agents and officers of the Atlanta Safe Child Task Force, which is led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Atlanta Division.

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Department of Justice Observes Anniversary of Amber Alert Program

/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs today observes the anniversary of the AMBER Alert program by asking that all individuals assist in the work of recovering abducted children by being aware and responsive to AMBER Alert postings. Since its creation in 1996, the AMBER Alert program has helped to find and safely recover 495 abducted children. Today all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have AMBER Alert plans.

On January 13, 1996, Amber Hagerman was abducted while riding her bicycle and was then brutally murdered. The AMBER (America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert network was created after her tragic death. AMBER Alerts are emergency messages broadcast when a law enforcement agency determines that a child has been abducted and is in imminent danger. The broadcasts include information about the child and abductor that could lead to the child's recovery, such as physical description and information about the abductor's vehicle. The AMBER Alert program began in 1996 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed up with local police to develop an early warning system to help find abducted children.

"When a child is missing, the focus of the nation is on making a safe recovery," said Laurie O. Robinson, the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs and National AMBER Alert Coordinator. "Significant and important advancements to the AMBER Alert program have assisted in these recoveries and energized us to continue improving, strengthening and promoting this important tool."

The AMBER Alert network includes law enforcement, broadcasters, transportation officials, the wireless industry, trucking carriers, retail outlets and many more. The PROTECT Act, signed into law in April 2003, statutorily established the national AMBER Alert Coordinator's role.

Since that time, AMBER Alert has made remarkable progress:

-- All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands have AMBER Alert plans, creating a network of plans
nationwide to aid in the recovery of abducted children.
-- To protect children from being transported across international
borders, the Department of Justice collaborated with the Canadian
provinces to expand AMBER Alert into Canada, and is working to expand
AMBER Alert into the Mexican border states.
-- Tribal nations are working to develop their own plans tailored to
their specific needs so that children in Indian country may benefit
from AMBER Alert.
-- Ninety-eight percent of the 495 AMBER Alert recoveries have occurred
since AMBER Alert became a nationally coordinated effort in 2002.
-- The AMBER Alert Secondary Distribution Program (AASD) which enhances
AMBER Alert activations for law enforcement and the general public,
has been widely expanded to include various internet providers,
outdoor digital signage systems, coordinated highway networks and
public and private employers.
-- Anecdotal evidence demonstrates that perpetrators are well aware of
the power of AMBER Alert, and in many cases have released an abducted
child upon hearing the alert.


The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. In addition, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). More information can be found at http://www.ojp.gov/.

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Tennessee Man Arrested in Georgia on Child Enticement Charges

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, announces on behalf of the Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force, the following arrest:

Tim Grub, age 27, a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, was arrested at Catoosa County, Georgia on Sunday, October 25, 2009, for attempting to solicit a minor child for sex. Grub traveled to Catoosa County, Georgia after having engaged undercover officers/agents of the FBI’s Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force in a series of chats on the Internet.

Grub, an employee at a satellite radio firm, is currently being detained at the Catoosa County Jail.

The Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force consists of federal agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and officers from the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, Dalton Police Department, Dade County Sheriff’s Office, Rossville Police Department, and the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office.

The public is reminded that all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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More Than 50 Children Rescued During Operation Cross Country IV

Over the past 72 hours, the FBI, its local and state law enforcement partners, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concluded Operation Cross Country IV, a three-day national enforcement action as part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative. The operation included enforcement actions in 36 cities across 30 FBI divisions around the country and led to the recovery of 52 children who were being victimized through prostitution. Additionally, 691 others, including 60 pimps, were arrested on state and local charges.

“Child prostitution continues to be a significant problem in our country, as evidenced by the number of children rescued through the continued efforts of our crimes against children task forces,” said Kevin Perkins, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “There is no work more important than protecting America’s children and freeing them from the cycle of victimization. Through our strategic partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies, we are able to make a difference.”

Task Force operations usually begin as local actions, targeting such places as truck stops, casinos, street “tracks,” and Internet websites, based on intelligence gathered by officers working in their respective jurisdictions. Initial arrests are often violations of local and state laws relating to prostitution or solicitation. Information gleaned from those arrested often uncovers organized efforts to prostitute women and children across many states. FBI agents further develop this information in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and file federal charges where appropriate.

To date, the 34 Innocence Lost Task Forces and Working Groups have recovered nearly 900 children from the streets. The investigations and subsequent 510 convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences, including multiple 25-years-to-life sentences and the seizure of more than $3.1 million in assets.

“It is repugnant that children in these times could be subjected to the great pain, suffering, and indignity of being forced into sexual slavery for someone else's profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, “but Cross Country IV has shown us that the scourge of child prostitution still exists on the streets of our cities. The FBI, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and all the state and local law enforcement agencies that contributed to this operation are to be commended for their dedication to this cause. We will all continue to work tirelessly to end the victimization of innocent children.”

In the spring of 2003, the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, in partnership with the Department of Justice’s CEOS and NCMEC, formed the Innocence Lost National Initiative to address the growing problem of children forced into prostitution.

“Child trafficking for the purposes of prostitution is organized criminal activity using kids as commodities for sale or trade,” said Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “These kids are victims. They lack the ability to walk away. This is 21st century slavery. We are proud to have worked hand-in-hand with the FBI and Justice Department in a partnership that is unprecedented, historic, and working.”

This program brings state and federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and social service providers all from around the country to NCMEC, where the groups are trained together. In addition, CEOS has reinforced the training by assigning prosecutors to help bring cases in those cities plagued by child prostitution.

The FBI thanks the 1,599 local, state, and federal law enforcement officers representing 112 separate agencies who participated in Operation Cross Country and ongoing enforcement efforts.

The charges announced today are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Roswell Man Arrested for Attempting to Solicit a Minor Child for Sex

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, announces on behalf of the Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force, the following arrest:

Christopher Rubush, age 35, a resident of Roswell, Georgia, was arrested at Whitfield County, Georgia on Saturday, October 10, 2009 on State charges related to attempting to solicit a minor child for sex. Rubush traveled to Whitfield County, Georgia after having engaged undercover officers/agents of the FBI’s Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force in a series of chats on the internet.

Rubush, a retail credit department employee, is currently being detained at the Whitfield County Detention Center.

The Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force consists of federal agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and officers from the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, Dalton Police Department, Dade County Sheriff’s Office, Rossville Police Department, and the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office.

The public is reminded that all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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FBI Arrest of Child Predator in North Georgia

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, announces, on behalf of the Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force, the following arrest at Whitfield County, Georgia:

On Friday, June 19, 2009, Anthony Brown, 26 years old, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was arrested in Whitfield County, Georgia on state charges of criminal attempt-child exploitation related to his attempt to have sexual activity with an underage female. Brown traveled to Whitfield County, Georgia from Knoxville, Tennessee after having previously engaged in Internet based “chats” and e-mails with undercover officers/agents of the above task force.

Brown is currently being detained at the Whitfield County, Georgia Detention Facility.

The Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force consists of federal agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and officers from the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, Dalton Police Department, Dade County Sheriff’s Office, Rossville Police Department, and the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office.

The public is reminded that all persons are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Anti-Child Prostitution Campaign Says Actions by Craigslist 'Not Enough'

/PRNewswire/ -- A Future, Not A Past--the campaign to stop the prostitution of children in Georgia--believes Craigslist is not doing enough to stop the use of its service by pimps to sell sex with children, it's campaign director said today.

"Somewhere in Atlanta tonight, a child will be prostituted because Craigslist refuses to immediately pull the plug on ads that make the exploitation of the child possible. Craigslist has reportedly said such ads will remain on their site until they expire next Wednesday. As if protecting our children should be governed by an expiration date. That's not good enough for the children of Georgia, or any state in the country," Kaffie McCullough, the campaign's director said.

Ms. McCullough said the campaign has research indicating that almost half of child prostitution in Atlanta occurs through ads placed on Craigslist.

"One key element of stamping out child prostitution and the sexual exploitation of young girls is to disrupt a pimp's ability to find customers. Our research shows that Craigslist has, as a matter of simple fact, been a critical link in the chain between the John, the pimp and the child prostitute," Ms. McCullough said.

Spearheaded by the Juvenile Justice Fund, A Future, Not A Past is a statewide campaign to stop the prostitution of girls in Georgia by building a barrier between children and those who seek to harm them through commercial sexual exploitation.

The campaign is addressing child prostitution in the state through a four-tiered strategy of research, prevention, intervention and education.

Craigslist has announced it will eliminate the "Erotic Services" category, replacing it with a new adult category of online classifieds that are to be reviewed by the Web site's employees.

Ms. McCullough says that alone is not enough.

"We are pleased that Craigslist has taken this step. This is a start, but it is only a start," Kaffie McCullough, the campaign's director said.

Ms. McCullough said the latest research by A Future, Not A Past shows 200 adolescent girls were advertised for sex on Atlanta's Craigslist site in February of this year--the highest number reported since the campaign started studying the site in August of 2007.

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Forty-Eight Children Recovered in Operation Cross Country III

During the past week, the FBI joined our law enforcement partners in a three-day national enforcement action as part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative. This operation, known as Operation Cross Country III, included enforcement operations in 29 cities across the country and led to the recovery of 48 children being prostituted domestically. Additionally, 571 criminals were arrested on a combination of state and federal charges for the domestic trafficking of children for prostitution and solicitation.

“We continue to pursue those who exploit our nation's children,” said FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III. “We may not be able to return their innocence but we can remove them from this cycle of abuse and violence.”

In the spring of 2003, the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, in partnership with the Child Exploitation-Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), formed the Innocence Lost National Initiative to address the growing problem of children forced into prostitution. This program brings state and federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and social service providers all from around the country to NCMEC, where the groups are trained together. In addition, CEOS has reinforced the tr aining by assigning prosecutors to help bring cases in those cities plagued by child prostitution. To date, the 32 Innocence Lost Task Forces and Working Groups have recovered 670 children. The investigations and subsequent convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences, including multiple 25-years-to-life sentences and the seizure of more than $3 million in assets.

The FBI would like to thank its partners who participated in Operation Cross Country and ongoing enforcement efforts, specifically:

Alsip Police Department (IL); Anaheim Police Department (CA); Anchorage Police Department (AK); Ann Arbor Police Department (MI); Atlanta Police Department (GA); Aurora Police Department (CO); Beaverton Police Department (OR); Bensenville Police Department (IL); Beverly Police Department (MA); Birmingham Police Department (AL); Boston Police Department (MA); Brandon Police Department (MS); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CA); California Department of Justice (CA); Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (NC); Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office (OR); Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office (OR); Clackamas County/Multnomah County Victims Assistance (OR); Clarendon Hills Police Department (IL); College Park Police Department (GA); Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department (IL); Corvallis Police Department (OR); Dallas Police Department (TX); Metropolitan Police Department (DC); Denver Police Department (CO); Des Plaines Police Department (IL); Detroit Police Department (MI); Downers Grove Police Department (IL); DuPage County Sheriff’s Police Department (IL); Elk Grove Village Police Department (IL); Essex Police Department (MA); Eugene Police Department (OR); Evanston Police Department (IL); Everett Police Department (MA); Everett Police Department (WA); Florida Attorney General’s Office (FL); Flowood Police Department (MS); Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (OH); Glenview Police Department (IL); Glenwood Police Department (IL); Gloucester Police Department (MA); Grayslake Police Department (IL); Gurnee Police Department (IL); Gwinnett County Police Department (GA); Hapeville Police Department (GA); Harris County Sheriff's Office (TX); Highland Park Police Department (IL); Hillsboro Police Department (OR); Hinds County Sheriff's Office (MS); Houston Police Department (TX); Immigration and Custom Enforcement; Internal Revenue Service; Jackson Police Department (MS); Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (FL); Janus Youth Services (OR); Kent Police Department (WA); Lake County Sheriff’s Department (IL); Lakewood Police Department (CO); Lakewood Police Department (WA); Lane County Parole (OR); Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV); Lifeworks NW (OR); Lima Police Department (OH); Lombard Police Department (IL); Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (VA); Lynwood Police Department (WA); Madison Heights Police Department (MI); Malden Police Department (MA); Marblehead Police Department (MA); Massachusetts State Police Department (MA); Melrose Park Police Department (IL); Melrose Police Department (MA); Miami Dade Police Department (FL); Miami Police Department (FL); Michigan State Police (MI); Minneapolis Police Department (MN); Minnetonka Police Department (MN); Mississippi Attorney General’s Office (MS); Montgomery County Police Department (MD); Moreno Valley Police Department (CA); Mount Prospect-Arlington Heights Police Department (IL); Mount Vernon Police Department (IL); Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office (OR) ; Multnomah County Juvenile Services Division (OR); Mundelein Police Department (IL); Naperville Police Department (IL); National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; Norwood Police Department (MA); Oak Brook Police Department (IL); Oak Lawn Police Department (IL); Oakland Police Department (CA); Ontario Police Department (CA); Orange County District Attorney’s Office (CA); Oregon Department of Human Services (OR); Peabody Police Department (MA); Phoenix Police Department (AZ); Portland Police Department Victim Assistance (OR); Portland Metro Gang Task Force (OR); Miami Beach Police Department (FL); Portland Police Bureau (OR); Prince William County Police Department (VA); Rankin County Sheriff's Office (MS); Richton Pack Police Department (IL); Riverside Police Department (CA); Rosemont Police Department (IL); Sacramento County Sheriff's Office (CA); Sacramento Police Department (CA); Salem Police Department (MA); San Diego Police Department (CA); San Francisco Police Department (CA); Sandy Springs Police Department (GA); Saugus Police Department (MA); Sauk Village Police Department (IL); Seattle Police Department (WA); Sexual Assault Resource Center (OR); Skokie Police Department (IL); Southfield Police Department (MI); St. Louis Park Police Department (MN); Swampscott Police Department (MA); Tacoma Police Department (WA); Tigard Police Department (OR); Toledo Police Department (OH); United States Attorney’s Office; Walpole Police Department (MA); Washington County Sheriff's Office (OR); Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office (MI); Wayne County Sheriff's Office (MI); Wellesley Police Department (MA); Westmont Police Department (IL); Will County Sheriff’s Police Department (IL); and Willowbrook Police Department (IL).

All of the charges announced today are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Adairsville Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography

JERALD WAYNE ANDERSON, 64, of Adairsville, Georgia, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Robert L. Vining, Jr., to serve more than 8 years in prison on a charge of receiving child pornography.

“Child pornography is a polite term for images of children being sexually abused,” said United States Attorney David E. Nahmias. “Instead of recoiling in horror at these images, as a normal person would, this defendant downloaded and collected thousands of images depicting the sexual exploitation of vulnerable children. Today’s harsh but just sentence is the appropriate punishment for a man who supported the abuse of these children by collecting and viewing child pornography.”

ANDERSON was sentenced to 8 years, 1 month in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release. ANDERSON was convicted of these charges on August 14, 2008, when he pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography through the use of a computer.

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: In October 2007, ANDERSON was posing as a 13-year-old girl on the Internet and was chatting with an undercover police officer from Broward County, Florida, who also claimed to be a 13-year-old girl. Within minutes of beginning the chat, ANDERSON sent the police officer images of a young girl in various stages of nudity, including images that displayed her genitals. ANDERSON claimed that he was the child in the photographs and asked the undercover officer for nude pictures of herself. ANDERSON engaged in a similar online chat with an undercover police officer from Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, in November 2007. Again, within minutes of beginning the chat, ANDERSON sent the same photos of a nude girl to the undercover officer. Later in November and again in December 2007, ANDERSON engaged in chats with the Florida undercover officer, again claiming to be a young girl, although he used different names from the earlier chats. He again sent nude photographs of a young female. The undercover officers issued subpoenas to various businesses to determine the location of the person who was distributing images of child pornography. The results pointed to a residential address in Adairsville, Georgia. In January 2008, the undercover officers passed the information on to Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and within days of receiving this information the agents obtained and executed a search warrant for the Adairsville address. The agents found that ANDERSON had approximately 140 CD’s and DVD’s containing thousands of images of child pornography. ANDERSON organized and labeled his collection of child pornography for easy access. The images on the discs showed children as young as 5 years old being sexually abused and engaged in sexually explicit conduct. ANDERSON admitted that he had collected the child pornography and that he had sent images of child pornography to at least 100 other persons.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistance in this case was provided from the Broward County (FL) and Bensalem Township (PA) Police Departments.

Assistant United States Attorney Paul Jones prosecuted the case.

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Illinois Man Sentenced for Traveling to North Georgia Intending to Have Sex with 11-Year Old Girl

RORY E. VILLEJO, 45, of Arlington Heights, Illinois, was sentenced Janaury 6 by United States District Judge Harold L. Murphy on a charge that he traveled from his home in Arlington Heights, Illinois, to Cartersville, Georgia, intending to have sex with an 11-year old girl whom he met via the internet.

“This case represents yet another example of the dangers that our children face when communicating with strangers via the internet,” said United States Attorney David E. Nahmias. “The defendant used the internet to encourage a girl whom he believed to be 11 years old to leave home without telling her parents where she was going or what she was intending to do, so that she could meet him and go with him to a motel room to have sex. Fortunately, because the ‘girl’ was actually an undercover police officer, the defendant’s crime was thwarted, and he will serve a lengthy sentence in federal prison. Parents should always be aware of the identities of persons with whom their children are communicating via the internet and know what is being said to their children during their online communications.”

Chief Thomas N. Culpepper of the Cartersville Police Department said, “This case is a reminder that the internet can be a very dangerous place. Caution and diligence should be the vanguard of every parent and adult when monitoring a child’s internet activity. The world today has many dangers and the internet predator is certainly one of which we should be keenly aware. Without the diligence of Sgt. James Scott, this agency, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, would not have removed this dangerous predator.”

VILLEJO was sentenced to 7 years, 8 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. VILLEJO was convicted of the charge on October 10, 2008.

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: VILLEJO communicated for two months via the internet with a person he believed to be an 11-year-old girl, but was in fact a Cartersville Police Department undercover officer posing as the young “girl.” Shortly after meeting the “ girl” in a teen chat room, VILLEJO began having sexually explicit conversations with her. The “girl” repeatedly told VILLEJO that she was 11, that she had never had a boyfriend, that she had never had sex, and that she could not let her parents find out that she was communicating with him. Nevertheless, VILLEJO continued to speak with her online and to encourage her to meet him so that they could go to a motel room and have sex. He also told her that he would take her to California so that they could be together and eventually get married. When the “girl” agreed to meet VILLEJO and go with him to a motel room to have sex, VILLEJO drove from his home in Arlington Heights, Illinois, to Cartersville and checked into a motel. He was arrested by Cartersville Police Officers shortly after he arrived. A search of his motel room led to the recovery of condoms, and lingerie that he had told the “girl” he would bring with him for her to wear for him during the time they were together in the motel room.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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FBI Announces Results of Three-Day Child Sex Trafficking Sweep

Today the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children announced the conclusion of a three-day law enforcement action—Operation Cross Country II—aimed at combating sex trafficking of children. A similar enforcement action took place in June of this year as part of Operation Cross Country. Information obtained from the June enforcement action led FBI special agents and task force officers to identify other underage victims of sex trafficking. Both enforcement actions are aimed at disrupting the cycle of victimization of children involved in prostitution by getting them off the streets and at developing sufficient evidence to bring serious federal charges against the pimps who are profiting from the sale of children in this way.

Last week, the FBI joined with more than 92 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Operation Cross Country II across 29 cities. This effort led to 642 arrests and most importantly, the removal of 47 children from the cycle of victimization.

“Sex trafficking of children is one of the most violent and unconscionable crimes committed in this country,” said FBI Deputy Director John S. Pistole. “For that reason, we are committed to working with our partners to bring those who exploit children to justice. There are few law enforcement missions more important than protecting our nation’s children.”

“The FBI's leadership in attacking the problem of domestic trafficking of children is unprecedented and historic. These kids are victims being used as commodities for sale or trade. The unique partnership between the FBI, the Justice Department, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is saving lives and bringing organized criminals to justice,” said Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

In June 2003, the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division Crimes Against Children Unit, in close cooperation with the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitations-Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), formed the Innocence Lost National Initiative to address criminal enterprises involved in the domestic sex trafficking of children. This program brings state and federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and social service providers from around the country to NCMEC, where the groups are trained together. In addition, CEOS has reinforced the training by assigning prosecutors to help bring cases in those cities plagued by child prostitution. Our alliance is proving to be a success. To date, the work of our 28 Innocence Lost task forces and working groups around the country have resulted in 265 indictments, 365 convictions on a combination of state and federal charges, 46 criminal enterprises disrupted and 36 successfully dismantled. Most importantly, our efforts have led to the recovery of 575 child victims.

The FBI extends its sincere appreciation to our partners who participated in Operation Cross Country II and ongoing enforcement efforts:

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Alexandria Police Department, Anchorage Police Department, Ann Arundel County Police Department, Arlington Heights Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Boston Police Department, California Department of Justice, Campbell Police Department, Chelsea Police Department, Chicago Police Department, City of Miami Police Department, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, College Park Police Department, Concord Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Costa Mesa Police Department, Dallas Police Department, DC Metropolitan Police Department, Delaware State Police, Denver Police Department, Detroit Police Department, Dublin Police Department, Edmond Police Department, Egg Harbor Township Police Department, Elk Grove Police Department, Fulton County Police Department, Glenview Police Department, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, Grays Lake Police Department, Gurnee Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, Hapeville Police Department, Harris Country Sheriff’s Office, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Honolulu Police Department, Houston Police Department, Howard County Police Department, Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement, Indianapolis Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Livermore Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Madison Heights Police Department, Maryland State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Miami Beach Police Department, Miami Dade Police Department, Michigan State Police, Midwest City Police Department, Milpitas Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Moreno Valley Police Department, Morgan Hill Police Department, Mundelein Police Department, Nevada Attorney General’s Office, New Jersey State Police, Norman Police Department, Oakland Police Department, Office of Inspector General - Social Security Administration, Oklahoma City Police Department, Ontario Police Department, Phoenix Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Pomona Police Department, Prince William County Police Department, Reno Police Department, Riverside Police Department, Rolling Meadows Police Department, Rowan University Police Department, Sacramento Police Department, San Bernardino Police Department, San Diego Police Department, San Francisco Police Department, San Jose Police Department, San Mateo Police Department, San Rafael Police Department, Santa Rosa Police Department, Shreveport, Police Department, Southfield Police Department, Sparks Police Department, Tacoma Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Toledo Police Department, University of Nevada at Reno Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Sheriff's Office, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The charges announced today are merely accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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New Plug In for Children's Data Could be a Life Saver

GPSN Note: Visit the website for more information.

PRNewswire/ -- Given the increasingly number of kids that get injured or go missing each day, SafetyNet4Kids Inc., a leading technology provider of solutions that give parents the ability to keep the critical information about their child close at hand, introduces the FamilyGuard(TM) USB Keychain. This third-generation child identification solution allows parents to store detailed information including medical information, digital fingerprints, and digital photos for all of their children on one easy-to-carry USB keychain.

"The first generation of child ID solutions were simply a laminated card with at most one picture and one ink fingerprint of the child on the back," said Katharine Francis, Founder & CEO of SafetyNet4Kids. "We launched SafetyNet4Kids to bring the second generation of child ID solutions to market -- a CD-ROM that stored 2 digital photographs and 10 digital fingerprints. With FamilyGuard(TM), we are moving to a third-generation solution."

The FamilyGuard(TM) USB Keychain provides parents with a secure digital repository that allows them to store digital pictures, 10 digital fingerprints, and detailed medical information about all of their children. This information is stored on a rugged USB keychain that can be plugged into any Windows computer -- allowing the data to be accessed at a moment's notice in case it is needed. In case of a missing child, parents can use FamilyGuard(TM) to create a missing child poster and send a digital dossier of their child to the media or law enforcement.

For those times when a child needs a medical waiver form -- whether staying with a relative or going on a school field trip -- FamilyGuard(TM) produces a standard medical waiver form that can be printed and signed by the parent.

Since accurate, up-to-date information is critical in the search for a missing child, FamilyGuard(TM) allows parents to easily and securely update all of the information about their children. Pictures can either be updated by the parent, or at a local SafetyNet4Kids partner or event in their community. At these events, parents can also update their child's fingerprints. SafetyNet4Kids has partnered with L-1 Identity Solutions to produce FBI-compliant digital fingerprints that are stored on FamilyGuard(TM).

FamilyGuard(TM) is available through local SafetyNet4Kids locations, or through the SafetyNet4Kids website.

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News to Use in Fayette, Coweta, Atlanta and all of Georgia

After-School Online Safety from InternetSafety.com: 10 ‘Home Alone’ Tips for Working Parents

BUSINESS WIRE --With the school year just starting, working parents may breathe a sigh of relief that the children are safely back in school for the next nine months, but what happens after 3 pm when the kids are home alone with unsupervised computer access? For many parents, these are the danger hours when children are most likely to visit inappropriate websites and are also most vulnerable to Internet predators. In these cases as well as when parents are home, Internet filtering software can serve as a virtual online babysitter.

InternetSafety.com, developer of the award-winning Safe Eyes™ parental control software (www.SafeEyes.com), recommends that parents select a software program with advanced controls and alert mechanisms for managing website access as well as social network postings, email correspondents, instant messenger usage and peer-to-peer file sharing programs. Choose a program that allows you to:

1. Block objectionable websites by category, URL and/or keyword — You should be able to select which website categories will be filtered (adult, alcohol, dating/personals, drugs, gambling, hate sites, pornography, profanity, sex, violence, weapons, etc.) so that kids can’t reach sites in those areas. The more categories you can dictate, the better. You should also be able to define specific websites and/or keywords that are off limits.

2. Set time limits — Some programs allow you to limit time spent online, allocate specific blocks of time for Internet access, and/or grant permission to connect by the day of the week. Limiting late-night Internet use, for example, can help safeguard children against predators inclined to night-time prowling of social networking sites and chat rooms.

3. Block as well as record Instant Messenger chats — You should have the option to bar children from using specific IM programs or all of them. (You might want to keep one available for communicating with your children yourself.) You should also have the option to save the full text of IM conversations for later review.

4. Block computer programs by name — It can be useful to prevent access to certain games as well as peer-to-peer file sharing programs like BitTorrent that may expose children to inappropriate photos or other objectionable material.

5. Restrict email use to designated addresses — There is no reason for younger children to correspond with anyone other than family members, close friends and perhaps teachers.

6. Receive email, text or phone alerts about inappropriate online behavior — Some programs are able to alert parents when children attempt to access restricted websites or post personal information such as their name and address on social networks.

7. Remotely change program settings from work or elsewhere — If you receive automated alerts about worrisome online behavior or concern from a caregiver, it is helpful to be able to reconfigure the program from your office or hotel room.

8. Receive automatic updates of website blacklists – This eliminates the need for parents to download database updates manually, saving considerable time and ensuring that objectionable new websites don’t slip through the cracks.

9. Handle multiple children with one program and customize settings for each child – Your 8-year-old may need stricter controls than your 11-year-old. You should be able to create separate profiles for each child and use them on any machine in the house.

10. Control PCs and Macs with the same filtering software – This simplifies the process of maintaining a safe online environment in households with computer with both operating systems.

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New Federal Law Mandates Child Resistant Portable Gasoline Containers

Children and gasoline don't mix. With the passage of the Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act, an additional layer of fire safety and burn protection has been added for families across the country.

President George W. Bush signed the Act into law which requires portable gasoline containers manufactured for sale in the U.S. on or after January 17, 2009 to conform to child resistance safety requirements.

Gasoline containers will join containers with other flammable liquids, such as turpentine, charcoal lighter fluid, and torch fuel that are required to have child resistant closures. CPSC has jurisdiction over child resistant product packaging.

"Families who purchase gasoline cans with child resistant gas caps and who keep all flammable liquids out of the sight and reach of children are improving the safety of their homes," said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord.

CPSC recommends these safety tips for consumers.

Buy a gasoline container that is child resistant.

Place a gasoline container in a well ventilated, cool area.

Never store gasoline or other fuel inside the house, in the basement, or near a fuel-burning appliance, open flames, pilot lights, stoves, heaters, electric mowers, or any other sources of ignition.

Never smoke near gasoline.

Never carry gasoline in the trunk of the car. Escaping vapors can easily ignite.

Keep gasoline, kerosene and other fuels out of the reach of children. Never permit children to play with matches or fuel.

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