Thomas Holbert, 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, is headed to federal prison for nearly 20 years after being sentenced to 235 months for Conspiracy to Sex Traffic a Minor. U.S. District Judge Brian C. Buescher handed down the sentence in federal court in Omaha, marking a grim end to a case rooted in the exploitation of vulnerable youth. There is no parole in the federal system, meaning Holbert will serve every mandated month behind bars.
The crime began to unfold in September 2020, when two foster children—aged 16 and 17—vanished from their Omaha foster home. Federal investigators quickly uncovered that Holbert had lured the minors, transported them, and brought them to a hotel where he posted online ads advertising them for commercial sex acts. The postings weren’t vague—they were explicit solicitations, turning children into commodities for cash.
Holbert didn’t act alone in profiting from their abuse. Both victims were forced into sex acts with multiple men while Holbert and others collected money from the transactions. The minors, already in the fragile care of the state, were thrust into a cycle of commercial sexual exploitation, their bodies bartered online and in hotel rooms across the city.
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp confirmed the sentencing, emphasizing that the case was a direct hit against those who prey on society’s most vulnerable. “This prosecution sends a clear message: exploiting children for sex will be met with the full force of federal law,” Sharp stated, underscoring the severity and permanence of Holbert’s punishment.
The investigation was a joint effort by Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. Their collaboration peeled back layers of deception, tracing online ads to Holbert and ultimately rescuing the victims from ongoing abuse. The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation through coordinated federal, state, and local action.
Upon completion of his prison term, Holbert will face five years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender for life. With no chance of early release, his conviction stands as a stark warning in the ongoing fight against child sex trafficking—a crime that leaves permanent scars, but now one less predator on the streets.
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Key Facts
- State: Nebraska
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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