Thomas L. Bishop, Attempted Enticement of a Minor, Illinois 2019

Bishop Faces Up to Life in Prison for Alleged Crimes

A federal grand jury in Springfield, Illinois, indicted Thomas L. Bishop, 60, of the 1600 block of West Bradley Ave., in Champaign, Ill., on charges of attempted enticement of a minor.

Bishop is accused of using the internet and a cellular telephone to knowingly entice a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Bishop allegedly initiated a text message conversation with an online covert profile of a law enforcement officer on a popular online dating / chatting application on August 20, 2019.

Following the initial contact, the defendant and the undercover officer engaged in numerous sexually explicit text message conversations, including conversations in which the defendant allegedly requested that the minor send sexually explicit photos of himself to the defendant.

The indictment returned today charges Bishop with the offense of attempted enticement of a minor, from August 20 to August 23, 2019, using the internet and a cellular telephone, both means of interstate commerce, to knowingly entice a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.

If convicted, the statutory penalty for the offense is 10 years to life in prison plus a fine of up to $250,000.

Bishop made his initial court appearance on August 26, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, who ordered that Bishop be detained.

Bishop has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson, and the charge is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Champaign Police Department's Street Crimes Unit.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the U.S. government. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil/pr/champaign-man-indicted-charge-attempted-enticement-minor