Paris Man Convicted of Attempted Child Exploitation

URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict Friday afternoon, June 16, against Tracy L. Parker, 57, of the 1600 block of S. Central Avenue in Paris, Illinois, for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. A sentencing hearing for Parker has been scheduled on October 13, 2023, in Urbana, Illinois.

Over four days of testimony, the government presented evidence proving that Parker attempted to obtain sexually graphic images and videos from an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old female, requesting these items for weeks through social media and text messaging. Parker was arrested after attempting to open what he believed to be the requested pornographic images and videos of the purported 13-year-old child. At the time of his arrest, child sexual abuse material was found on Parker’s cell phone.

Parker remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service and faces statutory penalties of up to 30 years of imprisonment for his conviction of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, up to 20 years of imprisonment for attempting to receive child pornography, and up to 10 years of imprisonment for possessing child pornography.  

The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and Nathan Bertrand represented the government at trial.

The case against Parker was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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.