MONROE, La. – Richard Dean Hicks, 68, of Pioneer, Louisiana, has been sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and production of child pornography. This is a sickening case of a man who paid to watch children as young as 5 years old being raped by sex traffickers in the Philippines.
Hicks was convicted by a jury in Monroe in January following a three-day trial. The charges in this case were the result of a nationwide investigation that began in 2012 into individuals who were soliciting child sex traffickers in the Philippines to share child sexual abusive material (CSAM) via live stream video. The individuals under investigation paid money for the child sex traffickers in the Philippines to sexually abuse children, while they watched and directed the sex traffickers’ sexual abuse of the children.
Through this investigation, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) executed a search warrant at a residence in Philadelphia. As a result of evidence obtained, agents were able to identify an individual in the Philippines who was selling the sexually explicit live webcam shows of female adults engaging in the sexual abuse of underage children. Further investigation led to the identification of an individual in Louisiana, later identified as Hicks, who had been communicating with multiple females in the Philippines.
From December 2017 through July 2020, Hicks and the females in the Philippines shared approximately 500 text messages and live video Skype calls wherein Hicks would pay the Philippine females to sexually abuse children as young as 5 years of age while he watched and told the women the type of sexual abuse he wanted them to perform on the children.
Evidence introduced at trial proved that Hicks communicated with these females in the Philippines via text messages and Skype video calls and paid money through Western Union on numerous occasions to view these individuals performing sexually explicit acts with underage children. The payments ranged from $25 to $120.
Hicks was sentenced to life in prison for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, life in prison for sex trafficking of a minor, 20 years in prison for promotion and solicitation of child pornography, and 30 years on each of the five counts of attempted production of child pornography. He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release if ever released from prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook called Hicks’ crimes “appalling” and praised the efforts of the law enforcement agents involved in the case. “For those who do not believe that sex trafficking could be happening near you, this is proof that it can be,” Van Hook said. “Were it not for the diligent efforts of these law enforcement agents whose investigation spread nationwide and even internationally, this defendant would not have been stopped.”
HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune echoed Van Hook’s sentiments, stating, “Sometimes a life sentence doesn’t seem like enough, but we hope this brings some relief to this predator’s victims and their families.”
This case is a stark reminder of the need for international cooperation in combating child exploitation and trafficking. The sentencing of Richard Dean Hicks to life in prison is a significant victory in this ongoing battle.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Human Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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