Emilio Moran, Enticing and Sexually Abusing a Minor, North Carolina 2020

A North Carolina man has received a life sentence for his heinous crimes against a minor. Emilio Moran, a 39-year-old from Jacksonville, was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

The sentencing hearing took place on Thursday, where Moran was ordered to spend 420 months, or 35 years, in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. This harsh punishment is a result of Moran’s prolonged sexual relationship with the minor, which began when he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan as a former U.S. Marine.

Moran used various tactics to lure the minor into the illicit relationship, including text messages and gifts. He even went as far as to take cellphone videos of some of the sexual abuse and encouraged the minor to destroy evidence in the case.

The abuse came to an end when it was reported to investigators with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. and Acting U.S. Attorney G. Norman Acker III made the announcement.

The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. government to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program aims to marshal 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.

The investigation and prosecution of this case are a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in their pursuit of justice for victims of child abuse. The harsh sentence handed down to Moran serves as a warning to others who would engage in similar crimes.

The public is encouraged to report any suspicions of child abuse to the authorities. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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