Two Sentenced for Conspiring to Sexually Exploit Children

TYLER, Texas — A man and woman have been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

     Brian Casper, 27, of Tyler, Texas pleaded guilty on Nov. 1, 2016, to conspiracy to sexually exploit children and was sentenced to 336 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Casper will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison.

     Taylor Keeth, 22, of Indianola, Iowa, pleaded guilty on Dec. 7, 2016, to conspiracy to sexually exploit children and was sentenced to 282 months in federal prison today by Judge Clark. She will also be required to register as a sex offender upon her release from federal prison.

     According to information presented in court, between November 2014 and August 2015, Casper, knowingly conspired and agreed with Keeth, Crystal Beam, 35, of Medford, Oregon, and Lacy Brooks, 31, of Searcy, Arkansas, to use minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions and transmitting live visual depictions of such conduct.

     Crystal Beam pleaded guilty on Nov. 14, 2016, to conspiracy to sexually exploit children. Lacy Brooks, 31, of Searcy, Arkansas, pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2017 in the Eastern District of Arkansas, to production of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. Beam and Brooks are awaiting sentencing.

     This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.

     This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tyler Police Department, Port of Galveston Police Department, White County (Arkansas) Sheriff's Office, Indianola (Iowa) Police Department, and the Medford (Oregon) Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, in cooperation with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin O'Leary and Kristin Bryant of the Eastern District of Arkansas.