Lucas Robinson, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, has been sentenced to 42 years in federal prison for one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of extortion.
Between 2009 and 2012, Robinson victimized at least twelve minor females as part of his offenses. He met most of his victims online and then later communicated with them by mobile telephone. His victims were between the ages of 12 and 15 and they lived in 7 different states in addition to Iowa.
In order to obtain additional sexually explicit images of his victims, Robinson threatened to distribute sexually explicit images they already had sent to him. He threatened to distribute the images on websites, to a parent, to their friends, and to others they knew from school. Robinson convinced one female victim to share her Facebook password with him, and later told her that he had her password and could send sexually explicit images of her to her friends.
Robinson extorted one of his victims to meet with him and have sex with him. He was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Robinson was sentenced to 42 years in prison to be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Sean R. Berry warned parents to be aware of the dangers their children face on the Internet. "Now that kids are home for the summer, parents need to keep in mind the dangers their children face on the Internet. Sexual predators are searching the Internet for children and can use social networking sites like Facebook to learn about and make contact with your child," said Berry.
Berry advised parents to teach their children to use the Internet safely. Children should never post their name, address, telephone number, school name, parent’s name, or any other personal information. They should never post or send pictures of themselves without permission from their parents. Children should never agree to meet face to face with someone they’ve met online without permission from their parents.
Parents should also monitor their children’s access to and use of the Internet. They should monitor their children when they’re online and monitor the time they spend online. Parents should keep the computer in a common area of the house and watch for unexplained changes in their child’s behavior or attitude. By paying attention and insisting on some common sense rules, parents can go a long way toward protecting their children from Internet predators like Lucas Robinson.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes