Federal Jury Convicts Birmingham Man for Sexually Exploiting Five-Year-Old Boy

BIRMINGHAM – A federal jury on Monday convicted a Birmingham man of sexually exploiting a five-year-old boy by forcing the child to perform sexual acts on him in 2016 and videotaping the conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr.

LARRY DEAN GARRETT Jr., 37, faces 25 to 50 years in prison because of a previous conviction of a sexual offense against a child in Michigan in 2000. In that case, Garrett confessed to criminal sexual conduct involving a boy younger than 13, according to evidence at trial.

The north Alabama jury convicted Garrett on one count of sexual exploitation of a child following four days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala. Garrett chose to represent himself at trial. A sentencing date has not been set.

“Sexual exploitation of a child by a previously convicted sex offender is one of the most serious and emotionally difficult offenses we prosecute within the federal system,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Williamson Barnes, who prosecuted the case. “I commend the family and friends of the victim for their willingness to come forward and assist law enforcement, the FBI for its tireless devotion to vindicating a particularly vulnerable victim, and the jurors who rendered a just verdict,” she said.

“The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s trial team did an excellent job of bringing the perverse, abhorrent acts of Garrett before the jury that rightfully convicted him,” Town said. “We are very much looking forward to the sentencing hearing.”

“These types of cases are always particularly disturbing,” Sharp said. “The FBI and our partners, however, will not rest in bringing predators like Garrett to justice and holding them accountable for their heinous actions.”

Garrett, who performs magic tricks and uses the name, “Magic,” lived in the same Birmingham apartment complex as his five-year-old victim and the child’s mother in 2016 and was known to have spent time with the child, according to evidence.

A friend of the child’s family who also lived in the same apartment complex testified that he knew Garrett downloaded movies and requested one from him. When the man, identified in court records as, “A.J,” opened the files on the computer memory card that Garrett gave him, he discovered the sexually explicit video involving the child, he testified. He showed the video to members of the child’s family, and they provided the video to police, the man testified.

The FBI investigated the case, which Barnes prosecuted.