Sexual Abuser Receives Heavy Sentence for Abusing Minor
A man from Citrus Heights was sentenced as a child sexual predator on January 6 to a term of 24 years, four months in prison followed by 20 years supervision in a case that involved the abuse and exploitation of a minor, age 13. The sentence was handed down by a U.S. District Judge in the Eastern District of California. The sexual predator, a 48-year-old man from Citrus Heights, faced accusations of sexually abusing and videotaping the minor for months.
Convicted Child Sexual Predator Trades Videos on the Internet
At least one video was sent by the defendant to another individual via the internet in trade for videos of other children performing sexual acts. At the time of his arrest, the defendant’s cell phone was found to contain hundreds of videos of minors being abused by a sexual predator. Some were reportedly toddlers.
Government and Local Agencies Determined to Hold a Sexual Predator Accountable
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Citrus Heights Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the District Attorney’s Office for Sacramento County worked in conjunction to hold the sexual abuser responsible and bring justice to the children who were abused and exploited.
According to a Special Agent with the FBI’s field office in Sacramento, the sexual offender used his position as a “trusted neighbor in his community” to prey upon this child, who lived nearby. In addition to sexually abusing the minor and distributing videos of his actions on the internet, the convicted man admitted that he had collected child porn for 20 years.
Signs of a Potential Child Predator
Although child sexual predators can be cautious to not raise suspicions, WebMD offers the following tips to help spot one:
- The majority of child sexual predators prefer children who have not yet reached the age of puberty.
- An adult who prefers spending time with children and develops an unnaturally close relationship with one may bear watching. Child sexual predators seldom have many adult friends and seek out children. Inappropriate behaviors such as hugging, wrestling and tickling may be involved in their relationship with a child.
- Manipulative language and gaslighting may be used by an adult toward a child, which could raise suspicions. Lying, manipulating and trying to make a child feel guilty may occur. Gaslighting is a type of abuse that causes someone to question their perceptions, events and even reality. Gaslighting is a form of brainwashing, which allows the sexual predator to take control over others.
- Making the child dependent occurs when an adult makes frequent contact with a minor, praises them constantly and gives them gifts so the child believes they have a bond with that person. By building loyalty with a minor, it puts them in more of a position to be used or manipulated.
- Escalation of physical boundaries can end up as sexual abuse. People can innocently touch a child’s arm, leg or shoulder. However, a child sexual predator can begin by using innocent touches that progress into inappropriate behavior disguised as a game.
- Controlling behavior and jealousy are exhibited by a child sexual predator, especially if the minor shows an interest in someone their own age.
Sacramento Sexual Abuse Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, and I am a Sacramento sexual abuse lawyer. If you suspect your minor has been exposed to child sexual abuse, you may need advice on how to proceed in finding the truth and potentially holding the guilty party responsible. Call us for our compassionate, free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. You can message us online if you prefer.
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Photo attribution: Image by Sang Hyun Cho from Pixabay
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