Former Soldier Sentenced for Child Pornography Crimes

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Kaleb Lee Basey, 28, formerly assigned to Fort Wainwright, Alaska, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to 15 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for distribution and transportation of child pornography.

According to evidence presented at trial, in January 2014, Basey posted an advertisement in the “Casual Encounters” section of the Fairbanks Craigslist website that read: “any dads or moms want to share a daughter with me for the night?”  Alaska State Troopers received a report about the ad and began an investigation, concerned that an actual minor might be in danger.  In less than 24 hours, Troopers identified Basey as the person who posted.  He was also identified as being an active duty solider on Fort Wainwright.

Troopers contacted Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents and executed a search of the defendant’s barracks room.  Law enforcement agents eventually contacted the FBI for assistance.  FBI agents were able to identify additional sexually-explicit Craigslist postings by Basey in which he sought access to minor children, as well as email communications in which individuals had responded to these sexually-explicit posts. In one set of emails, the defendant included a picture of child pornography, and told the person with whom he was emailing that he enjoyed watching movies that showed “young girls 5-15yo” engaged in sexual acts with adults. To this email string, the defendant also attached a fully-nude selfie.  In a second email, the defendant sent a picture of child pornography to himself.

In addition, the defendant’s computer contained multiple contacts with minors that the defendant made through social media platforms.  In his conversations with underage girls, the defendant frequently propositioned the girls for sex, or to engage in sexual acts on camera for his benefit.

The defendant successfully enticed at least one 15-year-old to engage in sexual activity with him.  On another occasion, the defendant met and paid a 17-year-old juvenile for sex, and asked this minor if he could film her engaged in sex acts.

At sentencing, Judge Beistline stated that his “primary concern [was] protection of the public.”  “You are a pedophile,” Judge Beistline said, “someone who has an interest in having sex with children.”  Judge Beistline went on to say that the defendant was “not just a voyeur…you actually seek to participate in it.  That sets you apart from other people I have seen in this court.”

Judge Beistline also noted the impact the defendant’s crimes have upon their victims.  “You victimize a young child just by looking at their pictures,” said Judge Beistline.  “You have lost things because of choices you made,” Judge Beistline told the defendant, “the victims that you chose to victimize didn’t have these choices.”  “[There was] no concern on your part for how this conduct impacted the victims,” said Judge Beistline.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alaska State Troopers, and Army Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.