Carl Edward Gentry, Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, Iowa 2024

DES MOINES, Iowa — A local man has been held accountable for his despicable crimes against a minor. According to public court documents, Carl Edward Gentry, 38, engaged in a Facebook conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old female for approximately ten months.

Gentry then began a separate Facebook conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old female. During each of the conversations, Gentry graphically described the sex acts he wished to perform upon the females if they met him in person.

After an exhaustive investigation led by the Altoona Police Department, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, Gentry was brought to justice. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the federal government. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

Gentry will serve a 72-month term in federal prison for his heinous crimes against children. After completing his term of imprisonment, he will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting our children from predators like Gentry. The Grimy Times will continue to shine a light on those who seek to harm the innocent and bring them to justice.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/des-moines-man-sentenced-6-years-federal-prison-attempted-transfer-obscene-material