William David Harden, Enticement of a Minor, Texas 2016

A Taylor County man has been sentenced to 135 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity with him.

William David Harden, 65, formerly of Tye, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O'Connor to 135 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in May 2016 to one count of enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Harden has been in custody since his arrest on a federal indictment in August 2015.

According to documents filed in the case, from approximately May to July 2015, Harden engaged in a cell phone texting relationship with a female minor, under age 17, in which he knowingly persuaded, induced, and enticed her to engage in sexual activity with him.

Specifically, in early July 2015, Harden knowingly persuaded, induced, and enticed, and attempted to persuade, induce and entice this minor female to engage in sexual activity with him, suggesting to the minor female that by doing so, she could repay him for arranging to get a motel room where she could meet up with a friend.

At today's sentencing hearing, Judge O'Connor also ordered that Harden forfeit his 2008 pickup truck that he used to transport this minor female and another minor to that motel.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative, a department initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Abilene Police Department, and the Taylor County Sheriff's Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy, of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Lubbock, Texas, was in charge of the prosecution.

Harden's sentence was a result of his guilty plea in May 2016 to one count of enticement of a minor, a federal offense that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/taylor-county-man-sentenced-135-months-federal-prison-enticing-minor-engage-sexual