Two men sentenced to life in prison for aggravated sexual abuse in child porn case
The men ran the world's biggest child porn site on the dark web. After their arrest, Australian police took over the site and ran it for 11 months. That story is just breaking today.
By FRANK GREEN Richmond Times-Dispatch
Benjamin Faulkner, 26, and Patrick Falte, 27.
Two men who sexually abused a child and uploaded photographs to their child pornography website were each sentenced Friday to life in prison.
Benjamin Faulkner, 26, and Patrick Falte, 27, pleaded guilty in federal court in Richmond earlier this year to the aggravated sexual abuse of a minor.
They were taken into custody after Faulkner, of Canada, and Falte, whose address is unavailable but is from out of state, traveled to an undisclosed address in Hanover County — which had no apparent connection to the offenses — and then to Northern Virginia where the crimes occurred.
Records indicate a third man charged in federal court in connection with the case has pleaded guilty to related state charges in Northern Virginia and is in jail awaiting sentencing.
Falte made three trips and Faulkner two to Virginia in 2015 and 2016 to sexually abuse the child, according to court documents. The abuse was filmed during at least two of the trips and uploaded to their website. Faulkner and Falte “groomed” the child with pizza, ice cream and toys.
Falte and Faulkner each faced a minimum term of 30 years when sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr., whose sentence was longer than that even sought by the government.
Under the plea deals, prosecutors agreed not to ask the judge for a term greater than 50 years and the defendants reserved the right to seek the minimum term of 30 years. Lawyers asked that Falte and Faulkner get 30-year terms citing, among other things, their projected ages when released and their amenability to treatment.
Both men, according to court documents, have attempted suicide since their arrests last October.
Man wanted for sex trafficking a child
caught in Franklin County
Jade Bulecza, Ashley Richmond
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL)-- Franklin County deputies have captured a man wanted for sex trafficking a child with his girlfriend.
Kevan Wyatt was arrested around 3 p.m. Sunday. Deputies caught him hiding on a houseboat in a creek off the Apalachicola River. It's in the area of Highway 65 near Gardner Landing.
Sheriff A.J. Smith says they got a tip about where Wyatt was located after the person saw the story on WTXL.
Gadsden County deputies arrested Celeste Chambers Wednesday. They say the pair trafficked a child in exchange for drugs.
According to court documents, the child was subjected to sexual abuse from February 2003 to March 2016. The child was reportedly only three years old when the abuse started.
What sick people!
Franklin Co., FL
Illinois game shop owner indicted for criminal sexual abuse against 15-year-old customer
By ED KOMENDA
McHENRY – The owner of a local game shop has been indicted in connection with criminal sexual abuse after he performed a sex act on a 15-year-old customer who often visited his store, according to McHenry County police and court records.
After the victim’s mother tipped off detectives that the owner of Snap Keep Games, 4400 W. Elm St., was having an inappropriate relationship with her 15-year-old son, Jason A. Long, 30, was arrested on Aug. 31, police said.
“The juvenile stopped in the store and they started a conversation,” said McHenry Police Cmdr. Thomas Walsh. “It went on from there.”
On Saturday, Snap Keep Games remained open for business, and Long showed up for work, helping customers and answering their questions.
Reached by telephone at the store Saturday afternoon, Long said he could not comment on the indictment against him and suggested that the Northwest Herald speak with his lawyer, who was not available for comment Saturday. An employee confirmed over the telephone that he was aware Long had been charged with criminal sexual abuse.
Court documents shed more light on the events that led to the arrest of Long, who also was charged with solicitation to meet a child and solicitation of a sexual act.
Long used his cellphone July 15 to ask a 15-year-old boy to meet him at Snap Keep Games without the child’s parents knowing about it, according to court records.
On Aug. 30, Long offered the same boy $100 to engage in a sexual act and knew the victim was under 18, according to court records. On the same day, Long engaged in a sex act with the boy.
The victim’s mother eventually discovered her son’s relationship with Long, police said. “The victim’s mother called to report it,” Walsh said.
On Aug. 31, police released Long on $50,000 bond. On Sept. 25, a judge granted a protective order against Long. Since his release, Long’s game shop has remained open to the public.
Records show Long has a history of criminal sexual abuse.
In 2005, he was arrested and charged with criminal sexual abuse in Cook County for performing a sex act on a 14-year-old, according to court records. Long was 19 at the time and found guilty in court. He last registered as a sex offender in Cook County in 2015, online records show.
In 2016, a year after he last registered as a sex offender in Cook County, Long launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to open Snap Keep Games in McHenry.
“I look forward to providing a place for people to enjoy the games and community that I have come to love,” Long wrote in a pitch to the public. “Words alone could never express my gratitude for anyone who even takes the time to consider contributing to making this dream a reality. I hope that everyone reading this will stop by and enjoy what we’re building.”
Setting a GoFundMe goal of $5,000, Long raised $520.
In February 2016, Long opened the store, where he and a small staff sells Pokemon cards, stocks video game consoles – and hosts weekly gatherings where children can play card games and tabletop games, according to the Snap Keep Games website.
If convicted of his most serious offenses, Long faces up to 13 years in prison. His next court date is set for Nov. 6.
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