New Hampshire man sentenced in Washington Parish child sex abuse case
WASHINGTON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A New Hampshire man has been sentenced to 135 years in prison after he sexually abused a young boy from Washington Parish.
According to the Office of District Attorney Collin Sims, 28-year-old Benjamin Hart began talking to a then-10-year-old boy over Xbox online back in 2020, with communication eventually being moved to Snapchat, where Hart sent the boy an explicit image of himself.
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office warns of deadly ‘pink cocaine’
Officials say Hart eventually convinced the victim to meet in person, and then began making regular trips from New Hampshire to Washington Parish, where he repeatedly sexually abused the victim, mostly inside of Hart’s 18-wheeler.
Prosecutors say that from 2020 through 2022, Hart gave expensive gifts, such as a cell phone, a gaming system and money to the victim, using them to coerce further sexual acts from the child.
Hart was ultimately found guilty of sexual battery of a juvenile under the age of 13, trafficking of children for sexual purposes and computer aided solicitation of a juvenile under the age of 13. He was sentenced 80 years on the sexual battery charge, 35 on the trafficking charge and 20 on the solicitation charge.
Franklin Co. couple admits to producing CSAM of 1-year-old
ST. LOUIS – A Franklin County couple admitted to filming and producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of a 1-year-old.
The couple, William Burns, 41, and his wife, Rachel Burns, 34, both pleaded guilty in May in relation to the disturbing crimes.
Court documents say the couple was arrested back in 2023 by the University City Police Department. During their arrest, the couple had two children in their car. Prosecutors charged the pair with attempted enticement of a minor.
When speaking with investigators, the wife admitted to detectives that her husband had CSAM on various devices, prompting deputies to further investigate the case.
Investigators found more than 13,000 files of CSAM, and prosecutors say William Burns used an app to share the material with other users. In one video that investigators found in 2022, the couple was sexually abusing a 1-year-old.
Investigators say that they found countless videos and images from that specific victim between 2022 and 2023.
Rachel Burns pleaded guilty on May 22 to one count of conspiracy and two counts of production of child pornography. She will be sentenced on Aug. 25, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office recommending no more than 35 years in prison.
Her husband, William, pleaded guilty in court on May 30 to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
William Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3. The U.S. Attorney’s Office recommends between 35 and 40 years in prison.
Child Predator Jailed for 36 Years After Targeting Kids While on Parole
HARRISBURG, PA — Craig Coleman, a Philadelphia man with prior sex offense convictions, has been sentenced to 18 to 36 years in prison for felony sexual abuse of children involving child sexual abuse material, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced.
“This predator is a potential danger to every child in his proximity,” said Attorney General Sunday. “He has proven time and time again that he will not be deterred from targeting and harming children—even while on parole or bail conditions.”
The charges against Coleman originated in 2023 when he was on parole for a 2017 conviction of manufacturing child pornography and statutory sexual assault. While awaiting trial for the 2023 charges, Coleman allegedly committed additional crimes, which have led to new accusations, including human trafficking, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, and manufacturing child pornography.
According to investigators, Coleman contacted a minor online in February, became aware of her age, and sexually abused her repeatedly. He reportedly paid the victim, recorded some of the acts, and attempted to intimidate her into withholding cooperation with law enforcement.
A pretrial hearing for these additional charges is set for July 22.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Laucella from the Child Predator Section is prosecuting the case. Attorney General Sunday reiterated his commitment to protecting children and ensuring offenders face justice, stating, “One of my core missions as Attorney General is to protect children, and our Child Predator Section will continue with proactive investigations to stop offenders.”
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