LAFAYETTE, La. – In a disturbing case of online exploitation, a Lafayette man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for receiving child pornography through Facebook.
A 29-year-old man, Steven Anthony Lemoine, of Lafayette, was sentenced on January 18 to 168 months in prison for one count of receiving child pornography. He was also sentenced to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
According to his October 19, 2018 guilty plea, Lemoine posed as a female on Facebook and enticed a 12-year-old minor to send him images of child pornography on December 26, 2016, and January 5, 2017. Lemoine’s home was later searched, and he admitted to using the online persona to obtain the images.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section lead the project, combining federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Louisiana State Police, and Marksville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
The exact charges against Lemoine were receiving child pornography, and he was sentenced to 168 months in prison. His case is a disturbing reminder of the dangers of online exploitation and the importance of being vigilant in reporting suspicious activity.
Lemoine must serve 15 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender. The public is encouraged to report any suspected child predators or suspicious activity to the authorities.
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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