Robbie Newby Guilty

A 46-year-old Grapeland, Texas man, Robbie Newby, has pleaded guilty to child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

According to information presented in court, on March 14, 2012, Newby coerced or persuaded a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating child pornography. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on April 17, 2013, charging Newby with child exploitation violations.

Newby pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child on Jan. 9, 2014, before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Newby faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set. This case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.

The guilty plea is a result of the combined efforts of law enforcement agencies and the Department of Justice to combat child exploitation. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse, and will continue to work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.

The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the Department of Justice in combating child exploitation. The public is encouraged to report any suspected cases of child exploitation to the authorities, and to visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov for more information on how to prevent and report child exploitation.