TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – In a disturbing case of child exploitation, Jericho Rayne Skipper, 30, of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and ten years of supervised release for receiving child pornography.
According to court records, in July 2024, a team of law enforcement officers in the Panama City area determined that Skipper had been using social media and online chat applications to trade images of adults engaged in sexually explicit conduct with young children, infants, and toddlers.
Skipper will also be required to pay $66,000 in restitution to the victims. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “This case demonstrates the excellent work of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to identify those who prey upon the most vulnerable of members of our community—our young children. My office will aggressively prosecute anyone caught peddling child porn, and we will not rest until every child is safe from the predations of these sick individuals.”
Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer prosecuted the case, which was the result of an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Panama City Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
HSI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno stated, “The abhorrent crime of trafficking imagery of the sexual abuse of children online is abhorrent at every level, and contributes to their repeated victimization. HSI is committed to continue working side-by-side with our state and local partners to identify these predators, remove their online footprints, and get victims the help the so desperately need.”
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford added, “Keeping kids safe is a top priority, and it takes strong teamwork across agencies to make that happen. I’m proud of the partnership that helped bring this predator to justice.”
This conviction was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related Federal Cases
- James Otis Liptak, Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography, Orl… · Florida
- Naomi Ruth Smith, Child Sex Trafficking, M.D. Florida, 2023 · Texas
- Charles Adkins, Distributed and Possessed Child Pornography, Waterl… · Mississippi
- Andrew Terryll Hudson, Distributing Child Pornography, Orlando FL, … · Florida
- John Dewey Todd, Child Pornography Collection, Jacksonville FL, 2023 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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