Scott Anthony Estes, Child Pornography Distribution, Illinois 2013

ORLANDO, FL – Scott Anthony Estes, a 19-year-old from New Berlin, Illinois, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.

Estes was arrested on March 22, 2013, after law enforcement launched an investigation into his online activities. The investigation revealed that Estes had been in contact with a 10-year-old boy on Xbox Live, where he attempted to convince the child to engage in a sexual relationship.

Believing he was still talking to the child, Estes sent videos depicting child pornography and images of his genitalia. He also admitted to sending a picture of his genitalia to the child, as well as child pornography videos.

Estes stated that he had met the child while playing a video game on Xbox and had also been in communication with a 13-year-old boy in Texas. A search warrant was conducted on his email address, which revealed that he distributed child pornography to numerous persons between July 2012 and March 2013.

Among the images and videos of child pornography distributed, several included pornographic videos that Estes had produced himself, while sexually abusing at least two children. A forensic review of Estes’ cellular telephone showed that he possessed more than 1,200 images of child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Estes will serve a life term of supervision following his incarceration. The case highlights the importance of online safety and the need for vigilance in protecting children from predators.

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