Billy Joe Kocher, Attempted Enticement of a Minor, Illinois 2021

Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

A Bridgeport, Illinois man, Billy Joe Kocher, 49, of the 300 block of Olive Street, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice a minor. Kocher was sentenced on October 20, 2021, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for violating 18 U.S.C. §2422(b), attempted enticement of a minor.

The attempted enticement occurred in April 2021, when Kocher attempted to meet with a person he believed to be the father of an 8-year-old girl. His intentions were to pay for the opportunity to have sex with the child.

Kocher was indicted in June 2020 and pleaded guilty in June 2021, as part of a written plea agreement. He faced statutory penalties of at least 10 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul B. Morris and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.

The case against Kocher was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

Kocher's sentence serves as a reminder of the severe consequences for those who attempt to harm or exploit children. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil/pr/bridgeport-man-sentenced-10-years-prison-attempted-enticement-minor