Florissant Man Sentenced on Charges of Attempted Sex Trafficking of Children
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 10, 2010 |
ST. LOUIS, MO—The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that David P. Hawkey was sentenced to 72 months in prison. Hawkey was caught up in an undercover sting investigating subjects who attempt to purchase children, or their services, for commercial sex.
Hawkey, 24, Florissant, MO, pleaded guilty last December to two felony counts of using interstate facilities to commit the crime of attempting to obtain a minor for the purposes of committing a commercial sex act. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw.
According to court documents, on July 27, 2009, officers received an e-mail in response to an Internet advertisement that had been placed by law enforcement working in the undercover capacity. The advertisement indicated that young females of an indeterminate age were available. The e-mail was from David Hawkey inquiring about the age and price for the girls. The undercover officer informed Hawkey that he had a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl and each was $80 for a half hour and $160 for an hour, or $300 for both. Hawkey replied that he wanted the “younger one,” and requested nude pictures of the girl. Hawkey further indicated that he wanted full service, which is a term that is used to denote sexual intercourse. Hawkey was given a telephone number to make further arrangements. The undercover agent and Hawkey arranged to meet at a location in St. Louis County. Hawkey paid the undercover agent in cash and was arrested by the FBI, St. Louis County Police and Maryland Heights Police.
"Even in the heartland of America, children are being forced into prostitution," said Mike Kaste, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI St. Louis Division. "That's why the FBI and its partners are proactively catching child predators in undercover stings before they destroy a child."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Maryland Heights and St. Louis County Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney Howard J. Marcus handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.