Sex trafficking and exploitation of children cases are on the rise in California, with four defendants sentenced in federal court for their roles in the crimes.
The defendants, who were from unrelated cases, were sentenced in the Southern District of California for crimes involving the sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of children.
The number of defendants prosecuted for sex crimes that victimize and exploit children in the Southern District of California has increased 85 percent in the last five years, from 61 in 2009 to 113 in 2013.
One of the defendants, Tyson Lee Channell, 29, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for acting as a pimp to a 14-year-old girl. Channell pleaded guilty in April of 2013 to transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution.
Another defendant, Jamal Leland Landrum, 26, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl in El Cajon. Landrum pleaded guilty in June of 2013 to sex trafficking of a minor.
James Michael DiSalvo, 55, was sentenced to nine years for distribution of child pornography. DiSalvo pleaded guilty in February 2014 to distribution of child pornography.
Christopher Wissmath, 36, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and seven years of supervised release for transmitting information about a minor with intent to entice the minor. Wissmath pleaded guilty in October of 2013 to transmitting information about a minor with intent to entice the minor.
According to U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy, the statistics show that one of the highest priorities is protecting children from predators who commit these heinous crimes against our community’s most vulnerable members.
The prosecutions are part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse via the internet.
Related Federal Cases
- Victor James Sporman, Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child, California 2024 · Florida
- Rodney Lee Zahn, Interstate Sex Trafficking, Montana 2024 · Colorado
- Christian Ceja, Child Sex Trafficking, California 2024 · Florida
- Daisy Pollard-Gilliam, Sex Trafficking of a Minor, California 2023 · Florida
- Daisy Pollard-Gilliam, Sex Trafficking of a Minor, California 2023 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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