Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography

And Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct With a Minor

     WASHINGTON – Ryan Chord, 35, of Virginia Beach, Va., pled guilty today to federal charges of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Andrew G. McCabe, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

     Chord entered the plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper is to sentence him on March 3, 2015. Chord faces a statutory maximum of 30 years of imprisonment for traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct and up to 10 years for possession of child pornography, as well as potential financial penalties.

     According to the government's evidence, on Feb. 21, 2014, Chord contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, through a social network site.  Over the next few days, Chord engaged in instant messaging with the undercover officer, whom he believed was the father of an under-aged girl. During this period, Chord arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with that child.

     During the course of their communications, Chord also sent the undercover officer approximately 17 images of child pornography.  On March 7, 2014, Chord traveled from Virginia Beach to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C.  When he arrived at the meeting place, he was arrested. 

     This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD.  In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorney's 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 Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge McCabe, and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.

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