Scott Lee Dye, Child Exploitation, Maryland 2025

Baltimore, Maryland – In a shocking case of child exploitation, a 46-year-old registered sex offender was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for coercing and enticing a minor. Scott Lee Dye, of North East, Maryland, will also have to pay $4,500 in restitution to his victims.

The U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher handed down the sentence, which requires Dye to register as a sex offender for life. He was found to have used the WhatsApp and Kik applications to attempt to meet and have sexual intercourse with individuals he believed were various minors.

According to court documents, Dye’s communications with the purported minor included graphic descriptions of the sexual acts he wanted to perform on the minor. His accounts and devices contained various videos and images of child sexual abuse material. This case sheds light on the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended HSI and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Aubin, who is prosecuting the federal case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. HSI and MSP worked together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute Dye, and to identify and rescue victims.

Dye’s sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of child exploitation. As the investigation revealed, Dye’s actions had severe consequences for his victims. The community can take solace in the fact that law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the community, and its priorities include addressing sex crimes and child exploitation. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

The public can also learn more about Internet safety education and how to report online enticement and victimization through the Know2Protect campaign, which can be found at https://dhs.gov/know2protect.

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