Tucumcari Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation After Sick Online Chat

A Tucumcari man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to engage in sex acts with two fictitious minor children after an undercover FBI operation.

According to court documents, the investigation into Joseph Gadman, 42, began in mid-December 2022, when an undercover agent from the FBI engaged him on a social networking website known to be a hub for child sexual abuse material.

Gadman, using the screen name ‘Gadmanj40,’ contacted the undercover agent and expressed interest in engaging in sexual acts with the undercover agent’s fictitious children. The conversation transitioned from the website to text messages, with Gadman providing his phone number to the undercover agent. In the text messages, Gadman detailed his desire to engage in sex acts with children ages 5 and 8 years old.

On January 13, 2023, Gadman traveled from Tucumcari to a pre-arranged meeting location in Albuquerque with condoms, cash, and snacks for the fictitious children. When he arrived, FBI agents swiftly arrested him. During a subsequent interview, Gadman admitted to being ‘Gadmanj40’ but denied having intentions to follow through on the discussed acts.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Gadman will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with the assistance of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

“The safety of our children is a top priority, and we will continue to work tirelessly to identify and prosecute those who would seek to harm them,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “This sentence sends a clear message that child exploitation will not be tolerated in our communities.”