Spokane, WA – In a disturbing case of online exploitation, a Hauser, Idaho man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor. Jerry William Lindsey, Jr., 34, was found guilty by a jury in February 2017 for posting explicit ads on a local website, targeting a 13-year-old girl.
Lindsey’s online activity was uncovered by an undercover detective working with the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. The detective posed as a 13-year-old girl and engaged in graphic discussions with Lindsey, who sent explicit images of himself. Lindsey even went so far as to suggest meeting the girl at a residence in Pasco, where he was working as a mechanic.
When law enforcement members surveilled Lindsey waiting outside the residence, he was subsequently arrested and interviewed. He acknowledged that if the girl had arrived, he "would have been in a lot of trouble." Lindsey was charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor and found guilty by a jury in Richland, Washington.
The sentence handed down by United States District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson reflects the seriousness of Lindsey’s crime. "The sentence imposed in this case reflects how serious the crime of enticement of a minor is, including attempts to do so," said Joseph H. Harrington, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. "The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington continues to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of child sexual exploitation and abuse cases."
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States government to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
Lindsey will be required to register as a sex offender and will serve a 5-year term of court supervision after his release from federal prison. The Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations must be commended for their strong working partnership and tireless commitment to investigating this case.
Project Safe Childhood has made significant strides in combating child sexual exploitation and abuse since its inception in 2006. The initiative has five major components, including integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, participation in coordinated national initiatives, increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases, training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents, and community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Related Federal Cases
- Jerry William Lindsey Jr, Attempted Enticement of a Minor, Idaho 2024 · Washington
- Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to Idaho to Have Sex with Minor · Virginia
- Wendall Keith Antell, Child Molestation, Idaho 2024 · Washington
- Turlock Man Accused of Transporting Minor for Sex Crimes · Washington
- Tractor-Trailer Driver Guilty of Transporting Minor for Sex · Virginia
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes