Taunton Predator Debrum Admits to Exploiting Minors

BOSTON – Joseph Debrum, 40, of Taunton, Massachusetts, has confessed to a horrifying campaign of online predation, pleading guilty today in federal court to multiple counts of coercing minors into sending sexually explicit images. Debrum’s actions spanned state lines, impacting seven victims and revealing a calculated effort to exploit vulnerable children.

According to court documents, Debrum, between May 2014 and March 2015, created fake online personas – posing as both a 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old woman – to groom and manipulate his victims. These victims, ranging in age from 14 to 16, resided in six different states. He didn’t simply solicit images; Debrum actively coerced them, even resorting to threats of exposure to maintain control.

The investigation revealed a disturbing pattern. Debrum didn’t limit himself to simply receiving images. He also viewed live acts online, capturing them on his cell phone. Further compounding the severity of his crimes, Debrum disseminated some of the illicit photos, sharing them with others. He sent photos of one victim to that victim’s parent, and photos of a second victim to a third victim, demonstrating a callous disregard for the harm caused.

Debrum’s deceit was uncovered during an interview with law enforcement on April 2, 2015, where he admitted to assuming the fictitious female identities and requesting nude pictures and sexual acts from the minors. He now faces a substantial prison sentence. He pleaded guilty to seven counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, six counts of sexual exploitation of children and two counts of distribution of child pornography.

Each charge carries significant penalties. The sexual exploitation charges carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison, alongside a minimum five-year, potentially lifetime, supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Coercion and enticement carries a 10-year minimum and lifetime maximum. Distribution of child pornography carries a 5-year minimum and 20-year maximum, with similar supervised release and fine structures. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton has scheduled sentencing for July 18, 2017.

The case was a joint effort led by United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, with assistance from the Taunton Police Department and Loudon County, Va., Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus and Anne Paruti of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative dedicated to protecting children from exploitation. More information on Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.