Prison sentence for the sexual exploitation of children
Rocklin, Calif. – Aaron Reed, 30, of Rocklin, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children, receiving child pornography, and transferring obscene material to minors.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is committed to public safety, which includes protecting the children and youth of our communities who are most vulnerable to online predators,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (San Francisco and Northern California).
According court documents, between Jan. 5, 2015, and June 28, 2015, Reed persuaded two minors in Canada to take photographs and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct and then send them to him through Kik, a social messaging application. At the time, one minor was 14 years old and the other was nine years old. He also sent obscene material to a minor whom he knew was under 16 years of age.
“We are witnessing an epidemic of the sexual exploitation of children across all sectors of our society,” said Spradlin. “It’s imperative that parents and their children understand the dangers of online predators, take every step possible to safely navigate internet activity and participation in social media activities, and to contact law enforcement for help.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
