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A 26-year-old College Station man, Austin Mixon, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for soliciting sex from a 13-year-old minor via Instagram. The crime occurred when Mixon, who pleaded guilty on February 26, used the social media platform to message the minor and persuade her to meet him for sex in exchange for vape products. The two arranged to meet at a park near the girl’s apartment, as her mother did not allow her out of the house at night. Mixon’s actions were uncovered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Mixon’s sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett, includes a 10-year supervised release following his prison term, during which he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay $5,000 in restitution to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking fund.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims.
Austin Mixon will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility, where he will serve his 120-month sentence. The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuting the case.
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