⏱ 2 min read
Ryan Zelek, a 33-year-old from Wilmington, Illinois, has been sentenced to 27 and a half years in federal prison for transporting a 13-year-old girl from Iowa to Illinois with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In the summer of 2021, Zelek used Snapchat to communicate with the girl before driving to Iowa, picking her up outside a movie theater, and bringing her back to his residence in Illinois where he sexually assaulted her. After the assault, Zelek drove the girl back to Iowa.
Law enforcement later searched Zelek’s electronic devices and found thousands of images and videos of child pornography, including sadistic acts being perpetrated against very young children. Zelek pleaded guilty to a federal charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey.
Zelek was also ordered to pay $54,298 in restitution to the victim. The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Wilmington Police Department and the FBI Field Office in Mobile, Alabama. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI Ryan Whalen.
The government argued that Zelek’s actions were premeditated and that he knew the consequences of his actions, yet still chose to abuse the minor. The sentence reflects the severity of Zelek’s crimes and the need to protect children from predators like him.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual exploitation, you can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit www.cybertipline.com.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: Illinois
- Location: IL
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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