PEORIA, IL – David Barnwell, a registered sex offender from Whitehouse, Texas, has confessed to a sickening scheme that preyed on vulnerable girls across the country. Barnwell, 29, pleaded guilty August 29th before U.S. District Judge Joe Billy McDade to multiple counts of sextortion, admitting he used fake Facebook profiles to lure minors with promises of high-paying modeling work.
The con was simple, and devastatingly effective. Barnwell created female-presenting profiles, advertising “modeling opportunities” promising payouts of thousands of dollars per photoshoot. When young girls responded, Barnwell coaxed them into sending increasingly revealing photographs, initially suggesting they were building a portfolio. Victims believed they would receive payment via cash, check, or direct deposit. But the payments never came. Instead, Barnwell escalated the requests to sexually suggestive and explicit images.
Once he had compromising photos in his possession, Barnwell turned from recruiter to blackmailer. He threatened to ruin the girls’ reputations and publicly post their nude images online if they refused to comply with further demands. The scope of Barnwell’s depravity is staggering. Investigators discovered he victimized 43 minor girls in nine judicial districts across eight states, turning their trust into a source of immense trauma.
But Barnwell’s crimes didn’t stop at online exploitation. A joint investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, Peoria Police Department, and Peoria County Sheriff’s Office uncovered a disturbing pattern of voyeurism. Authorities found numerous videos of Barnwell secretly filming women in public – upskirting and attempting to record them using public restrooms. They even recovered the hidden camera he allegedly used to commit these acts.
Barnwell’s sentencing is scheduled for January 9, 2019. The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald Hanna and Katherine Legge of the Central District of Illinois and Trial Attorney William Grady of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation. This isn’t just about one predator; it’s a coordinated effort to dismantle the networks that enable these crimes.
The investigation received vital assistance from U.S. Attorneys’ offices in California, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas (Eastern & Northern), Washington, Iowa, and West Virginia. This case serves as a grim reminder of the dangers lurking online and the urgent need for vigilance in protecting our most vulnerable citizens. Resources are available at www.justice.gov/psc.
Related Federal Cases
- Live Nation, Antitrust Lawsuit, New York NY, 2024 · Oregon
- Mark P. Barnwell, Sextorting Minors, Texas 2016 · New Mexico
- Ticketmaster, Antitrust Violation, New York NY, 2023 · Oregon
- Amgen Pays $71M for Pushing Drugs Off-Label · Kentucky
- Amgen Inc, Pharmaceutical Misrepresentation, California 2024 · Kentucky
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News