Paul David Hite, Child Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography, Virginia 2012

Virginia Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography

Washington D.C. – Paul David Hite, a 58-year-old anesthesiologist from Midlothian, Va., was sentenced to 7 years in prison and fined $262,500 for arranging for sexual contact with a minor and possession of child pornography.

According to a factual proffer of evidence presented during the court proceeding, from Feb. 1, 2012 through Feb. 17, 2012, Hite engaged in a series of Internet chats and telephone calls with an undercover police detective in Washington, D.C., who was posing as an adult who was sexually abusing a minor girl and a minor boy. During the course of the communications with the undercover detective, Hite described, in graphic detail, the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the purported minors. Hite also discussed plans to travel to Washington, D.C. for the purpose of sexually abusing the purported minors.

Hite was arrested near his residence on Feb. 17, 2012. Law enforcement recovered computer equipment from Hite’s home, which uncovered evidence of over 400 files of child pornography.

This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In announcing the sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. commended the work of all who participated in the investigation, especially acknowledging the efforts of the Metropolitan Police Department Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

In addition to the prison sentence and fine, Hite was ordered to pay $16,750 in restitution to five victims of child pornography. Upon completion of his prison term, Hite will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.

Hite pled guilty on April 15, 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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