U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Montana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 3, 2021

Wolf Point man convicted of rape, child abuse and assault crimes sentenced to more than 20 years in prison

GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man convicted by juries in two separate trials of rape, child abuse and assault crimes was sentenced today to a total of 20 years and five months in prison, followed by a total of 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

A jury convicted Luke John Scott, Sr., 33, on Jan. 28 of aggravated sexual abuse and of assault by striking, beating or wounding, a misdemeanor, in a July 2017 rape and assault of a woman. On Nov. 19, 2020, a separate jury convicted Scott of felony child abuse that began in July 2018 and of assault resulting in serious bodily injury for an assault on the same minor child in March 2019. The crimes in both cases occurred on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

Chief Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

In the aggravated sexual abuse and assault case, Chief Judge Morris sentenced Scott to 10 years and five months in prison and to 10 years of supervised release. In the felony child abuse and assault case, Chief Judge Morris sentenced Scott to 10 years in prison and to three years of supervised release. Chief Judge Morris ordered the prison sentences in the two cases to run consecutively, for a total of 20 years and five months, and for the terms of supervised release in the two cases to run concurrently, for a total of 10 years of supervised release.

“Mr. Scott’s violent conduct not only seriously harmed the victims in these two cases but also endangered the entire community. These sentences will hold Mr. Scott accountable for his crimes, while protecting the community from further violence by him. Those who rape women and abuse children will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Acting U.S. Attorney Johnson said.

In the aggravated sexual abuse case, the government alleged in court records and through evidence presented at trial that on July 7, 2017, Scott approached the victim, identified as Jane Doe, on the street, told her he had a bottle of vodka and that a relative was fishing by the Poplar river. The victim went with Scott to the river, where he threatened to kill her, tried to strangle her and then raped her. Jane Doe reported the assault to law enforcement and was transported to the hospital in Poplar.

In the child abuse and assault case, the government alleged in court records and through evidence presented at trial that for approximately eight months, beginning in July 2018, Scott abused and injured a minor child in Wolf Point. The abuse culminated in a March 2019 assault in which the Scott assaulted the child by repeated blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation. The victim was treated for serious injuries.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the cases, which were investigated by the FBI and Fort Peck Law Enforcement Services.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/wolf-point-man-convicted-rape-child-abuse-and-assault-crimes-sentenced-more-20-years

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Eastern District of Virginia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 3, 2021

Man Sentenced for Producing Images of Child Sexual Abuse

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Mathews County man was sentenced today to life in prison for engaging in a conspiracy to produce child pornography in connection with a purported “teen modeling” endeavor.

“As the evidence at trial demonstrated, the defendant preyed on, manipulated, and abused defenseless young girls,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our Office expresses its gratitude to the trial and law enforcement team for their relentless efforts in bringing the defendant to justice and holding him accountable for repeatedly victimizing children.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, William Wellington Hooper, Jr., 54, conspired with Jennifer Hutchens, 54, of Gloucester, to produce images of child sexual abuse of Jane Doe #1, a 15-year-old girl, and her 14-year-old friend, Jane Doe #2. During the months of April and May 2019, Hooper and Hutchens coerced Jane Doe #1 to engage in sexually explicit conduct in Gloucester County and Mathews County.

“Every case involving child sexual exploitation is difficult, but the level of manipulation and abuse carried out in this case is especially disturbing,” said Special Agent in Charge Raymond Villanueva for the HSI Washington, D.C. Field Office. “This individual deserved nothing less than a life sentence and HSI will continue to diligently investigate these crimes against children and rid our communities of these atrocious offenders.”

Hutchens, at the request of Hooper, also recruited other minor girls to pose for sexually explicit photographs in what Hooper called a “teen modeling” endeavor. Hooper promised these children, whose families were struggling financially, that they would be compensated. He specifically promised that Jane Doe #1 could make almost $3 million if she obeyed him completely. Hooper also asked Hutchens to find younger children for his photographs. In explaining his request, Hooper said that “[l]egal doesn’t matter” and suggested that Hutchens could get access to younger children by running a daycare, for which she could “[s]pecialize in problem[] girls between the ages of 8 and 12.”

A jury convicted Hooper at trial of conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and coercion and enticement of a child. Hutchens previously pleaded guilty to producing child pornography and was sentenced to 23 years’ imprisonment on October 13, 2020.

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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; L. Mark Barrick, Mathews County Sheriff; Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel, Howard J. Zlotnick, and Brittany M. Fisher prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-18.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/man-sentenced-producing-images-child-sexual-abuse-1

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Northern District of Iowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 3, 2021

Man Convicted of Trafficking Methamphetamine and Possessing a Gun Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Prison

A man who sold methamphetamine out of his residence in Fairfax, Iowa, and possessed firearms was sentenced today to more than 24 years in federal prison.

Jason Richard Corey, age 54, formerly from Fairfax, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime during a November 2020 jury trial.

The evidence at trial showed that Corey sold a quarter pound of methamphetamine to an individual in August 2019 at his home in Fairfax, Iowa. Shortly after the sale, Corey was in a car that was stopped and found to have more than 70 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the bottom of a disinfectant wipes container and a bag inside the car. Law enforcement then searched Corey’s home and found a half pound of methamphetamine and two firearms. Additional evidence showed that Corey dealt more than 25 pounds of methamphetamine during 2019 and that one of his methamphetamine sources gave him two firearms for his protection.

Corey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Corey was sentenced to 295 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Corey is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Hiawatha Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 20-cr-00029.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/pr/man-convicted-trafficking-methamphetamine-and-possessing-gun-sentenced-over-20-years