Steven John Sokel, 61, Gets 210 Months in Prison for International Child Sex Crimes
A Blooming Prairie man has been sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by ten years of supervised release, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
Steven John Sokel, 61, was found guilty of one count of sexual exploitation of children. The victim in this case was a pre-pubescent minor from Thailand.
According to court documents, Sokel began communicating with the victim’s mother over the internet in April 2022. He then traveled to Thailand in September 2022, where he stayed with the victim and her mother for almost a month.
During his time abroad, Sokel produced images of the minor victim engaging in sexually explicit activity. On September 29, 2022, Sokel left Thailand and had a layover in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Customs officers found a laptop in Sokel’s luggage that contained child sexual abuse material.
Sokel was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric T. Tostrud. The case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case. This case highlights the dangers of child sex tourism and the importance of international cooperation in bringing perpetrators to justice.
Related Federal Cases
- Steven John Sokel, Child Sexual Exploitation, Minnesota 2022 · Ohio
- Benton Stong, Sexual Exploitation of Children and Possession of Chi… · Illinois
- Brady John Hillis, Abusive Sexual Contact, Minnesota 2024 · New York
- John Doe, Child Exploitation, Springfield USA, 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Timothy Koenck, Child Sexual Exploitation, Fenton IA, 2012 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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