Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to West Virginia to Have Sex with a Minor

CHARLESTON, WV—Daniel P. Roberts, 23, of Nashville, Tennessee, pled guilty before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. admitting he had traveled in interstate commerce to have sex with a minor. In December 2007, Roberts, then 21 years old, met a 15-year-old girl in an online chat room. After a couple of months of chatting online and over the telephone, Roberts traveled from his residence in Tennessee to West Virginia with the intent of having sexual intercourse with the minor. Prior to traveling to West Virginia, Roberts was made aware of the fact that the minor was only 15 years old. Roberts visited the minor at least eight times from February through May 2008, and except for the first two visits, had sexual intercourse with her each time. When he is sentenced on August 25, 2009, Roberts faces up to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. The FBI conducted the investigation. AUSA Karen Schommer is handling the prosecution.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about cases and related activities please visit www.usdoj.gov/usao/wvs and www.projectsafechildhood.gov.