Anonymous ID: f32665 Dec. 18, 2021, 10:36 a.m. No.15214363   🗄️.is 🔗kun

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/registered-sex-offender-sentenced-50-years-prison-producing-and-using-facebook-distribute

Registered Sex Offender Sentenced To 50 Years in Prison for Producing and Using Facebook to Distribute Child Pornography

An Indiana man was sentenced today to 50 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for using social media to produce child pornography.

Lorenzo Johnson, 33, of Hammond, was convicted on Aug. 16 by a federal jury of three counts of conspiring to produce child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Johnson used Facebook accounts in the names of others to identify women with access to children who appeared to be experiencing financial difficulties. Johnson, a registered sex offender, offered those women money to take sexually explicit photos of infants and prepubescent children whom they knew, and successfully persuaded three such women, who were subsequently charged with child pornography offenses, to send him photos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and prepubescent children. One such woman subsequently pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. A second is scheduled to plead guilty on Dec. 21. Both women are pleading guilty in the Northern District of Illinois, and charges against a third woman were dismissed in the Northern District of Indiana because she died during the course of the prosecution.

In an interview with the FBI, Johnson admitted that he had also solicited the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from other Facebook users as a means of blackmail. Evidence presented at trial showed Johnson asked one woman to produce CSAM so he could “hold something over her head.” In addition, Facebook records admitted into evidence showed Johnson discussing the sexual abuse of children with his co-conspirators and threatening to “expose” them if they did not agree to produce CSAM.

Johnson was previously convicted in 2009 in Illinois of aggravated sexual abuse involving a minor.

“As the jury unanimously found, Lorenzo Johnson repeatedly persuaded vulnerable women to sexually exploit infants and young children,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence sends a strong message that offenders who target vulnerable members of our society, and especially children, will be brought to justice.”

“Lorenzo Johnson’s criminal conduct merits the lengthy sentence that the judge imposed today,” said U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana. “Manipulating vulnerable women into producing pornographic images of voiceless children is despicable criminal behavior. I want to thank all our law enforcement partners for their hard work rendering justice in this case.”

“This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identifying sexual predators and investigating these type of cases with a sense of urgency to ensure those who victimize our most vulnerable members of society pay the price with time in prison,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office. “As a result of the tireless work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners, Johnson no longer poses a threat to the community.”

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Kelley and Abizer Zanzi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by Jill Koster, former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.

Anonymous ID: f32665 Dec. 18, 2021, 11:06 a.m. No.15214498   🗄️.is 🔗kun

https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/operation-venetic-sentences-increased-for-west-london-drug-dealers

Operation Venetic: Sentences increased for west London drug dealers

Two criminals who were prepared to inflict violence to protect their illicit business will spend longer in prison.

Investigators from the Organised Crime Partnership, a joint National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service unit, identified Matthew Wraight and Mark Bannister as behind drugs deals in London arranged on encrypted messaging platform EncroChat.

Wraight, 37, from West Drayton, used the EncroChat handle ‘Rokafella’ to instigate the deals between April and June 2020. He was in communication with haulage company owner Bannister, 47, who was under the names ‘Goldbusiness’ and ‘Goldgame’.

Both men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and money laundering on 3 July 2020. Wraight was also arrested for driving without a valid licence and whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

They both pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court on 22 July 2021, with Wraight sentenced to 12 years and Bannister to nine. However, the sentences were increased to 16 years six months and 12 years nine months respectively at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday (14 December 2021) after they were found to be unduly lenient.

Encro messages showed the duo were ready to use violence against competitors to protect their business. On 10 April 2020 ‘Goldgame’ told ‘Rokafella’: “Mate we got to go and find this cn… You've left it long enough… Its time to get physical… Physical.” ‘Rokafella’ replies that “he’s hard to find” to which ‘Goldgame’ says “Don't sit there stressing soon as this is over u can get a stun gun were go find this cn…”.

On 1 May 2020 ‘Goldgame’ tells ‘Rokafella’: “You need to get me a picture off this cn… so I can keep my eye out for him you no… OK let's get a tool and go plot up.”

In another message on 20 April 2020, ‘Goldgame’ acknowledges the seriousness of their criminality to ‘Rokafella’, saying: “This is serious business mate… Big money big bird."

The pair were responsible for the supply of large quantities of cocaine and the laundering of money made as a result of these deals. They were directly in contact with those importing drugs to the UK, and in April – June 2020 received a total of 120 kilos of cocaine which they then supplied onwards. This would have returned approximately £4 million.

Investigators found that Wraight was in charge of the operation, with contacts to secure wholesale amounts of class A drugs and customers to sell them to. This enabled Bannister to take a hands on role in the criminality.

Wraight tasked Bannister to fetch the drugs from those importing them, and Bannister used an 18 tonne lorry registered to his business to make these collections. On 16 April 2020 and 23 April 2020 they received 50 kilos, and 20 kilos on 13 May 2020.

On 15 May 2020 Bannister was supposed to collect a further 20 kilos, but pulled out of this transaction as he feared he was under surveillance.

A few weeks before their arrest, ‘Rokafella’ became increasingly worried about being caught, telling ‘Goldgame’: “Mate im telling there on us… We are a part of a massive operation”. He panics and begins to make plans to flee to Amsterdam or Germany, with ‘Goldgame’ encouraging him by saying: “Slip then mate I would”.

At the time of his arrest an overnight bag and passport were found in Wraight’s car.

Andrew Tickner, from the Organised Crime Partnership, said: “Wraight and Bannister were prepared to act violently to protect their despicable enterprise.

"This shows the corrosive effect that class A drugs can have on our communities, with violence and intimidation often the driver behind the trade.

“This case is yet another example of the NCA and Met Police working together to protect the public from this threat.”

Anonymous ID: f32665 Dec. 18, 2021, 11:07 a.m. No.15214502   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>4525

https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/rapist-who-filmed-abuse-of-toddler-jailed

Rapist who filmed abuse of toddler jailed

A man from Southport has been jailed for 17 years for raping a toddler and sexually assaulting another child.

Ryan Hawkins, 29, was identified by NCA investigators as username ‘bigladuk6’ who had been discussing the sexual abuse of children with other paedophiles online.

In September 2021 he shared a graphic sexual image of a baby and told another user about his plans to abuse a young girl the following week.

Hawkins was arrested by NCA officers eight days later and his phone was seized.

Two identical videos of Hawkins raping a female toddler were recovered from the device, along with four graphic sexual images of baby.

When interviewed, he admitted to sexually abusing the toddler on two separate occasions and to sexually assaulting a young boy.

He was charged with the rape and assault of a girl under 13, sexual assault of a male under 13, two counts of making indecent images of a child (IIOC) and one of distributing IIOC.

Hawkins pleaded guilty to all the charges on 16 November 2021 at Liverpool Crown Court.

He was sentenced today [17/12/2021] at the same court to 17 years in prison.

NCA operations manager Phil Eccles said: “Ryan Hawkins’ crimes are absolutely horrific.

“The fact he openly discussed the abuse with strangers on the internet shows his callous nature and the fact he had no regard for the profound impact this would have on his victims.

“He is an example of the highest risk and most dangerous sexual offenders targeted by the NCA and it is only right he is behind bars where no longer poses a threat to children.”

Anonymous ID: f32665 Dec. 18, 2021, 11:10 a.m. No.15214509   🗄️.is 🔗kun

https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/ex-panorama-producer-sought-out-preteen-sexual-abuse-online

Ex-Panorama producer sought out ‘Preteen’ sexual abuse online

A man from London has been convicted of possessing over 800 indecent images of children, after he admitted owning stun guns and pepper spray.

A former BBC producer has been found guilty of possessing indecent images of children following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Victor Melleney, 76, who previously worked on programmes such as Panorama and Question time, also pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to four counts of possessing a prohibited weapon.

He was arrested by NCA officers at his Kensington flat in October 2018. The weapons – three tasers and a pepper spray – were recovered following a search of the flat and his Porsche.

Officers also seized Melleney’s laptop and iPad from this address.

An external hard drive, which he initially attempted to hide in his pocket, was recovered at his house close by in Holland Park.

His devices contained over 800 images and videos of child sexual abuse (categories A-C) and he had downloaded four different Peer 2 Peer file sharing applications onto them.

Analysis showed that the keywords he used to search for the material included “PTHC” (Pre Teen Hard Core), “Preteen” and “11 yo”.

In March 2019, NCA officers executed a warrant at another of Melleney’s properties in West Wittering, Chichester, as intelligence showed that he had also accessed child abuse material from the address in the month prior to his arrest.

Today at Kingston Crown Court, Melleney was found guilty of possessing indecent images of children.

He will be sentenced for this, along with the prohibited weapons offences, on 14 January 2022 at the same court.

Martin Ludlow, Operations Manager at the National Crime Agency, said: “Melleney had a significant collection of child abuse material, which he had sought out from with other like-minded individuals using the internet.

“It’s really important not to forget that behind every sexual abuse image is a child whose life has been cruelly torn apart by an abuser, with men like Melleney fuelling the demand for such material.

“Protecting children and targeting those who pose a sexual threat to them remains our top priority.”