Child Pornography Sentences Highlight Internet Dangers to Children
Parents Warned to Watch Out for Their Children—Predators Warned to Watch Out for Law Enforcement

United States Attorney Stephanie M. Rose, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Bill Kietzman, Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner, Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty, Cedar Rapids Police Investigator Charity Hansel, and FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Mike Kitsmiller met with principals from area middle schools at Franklin Middle School in Cedar Rapids to discuss Internet safety. They highlighted the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which combats child pornography and child sexual exploitation. Rose announced significant recent sentences for criminals who sexually exploited children in the Northern District of Iowa.

"We have a message for two groups of people—parents and sexual predators," Rose said. "Our message is a familiar one. Parents need to watch out for their children—predators need to watch out for us. Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are working together to prosecute these offenders and protect our children."

"Parents must talk to their children about Internet safety. Children now have easy access to cell phones and the Internet, but if we are not careful, criminals will have easy access to our children. Children need to know several rules to follow, so they can protect themselves," said Rose. Rose advised parents to tell their children to:

• Never post their name, address, telephone number, school name, parents' names, or any other personal information.
• Never post or send pictures of themselves without permission from their parents.
• Never agree to meet face to face with someone they've met online without permission from their parents.
• Never respond to messages that have bad words, talk about their bodies, or seem scary or strange.
• Always tell their parents if they find something scary or threatening on the Internet.

Rose advised that parents should also monitor their children's access to and use of the Internet. Parents should:

• Monitor their children when they're online and monitor the time they spend online. Keep the computer in a common area of the house. If a child quickly changes the screen or becomes uneasy or defensive when a parent walks into the room, this could be a sign that the child is involved in something he or she should not be.
• Make sure that access to the Internet at school and at friends' houses is monitored by adults.
• Watch for unexplained changes in their child's behavior or attitude.
• Watch for unusual telephone calls or mail addressed to their child.
• Save any threatening e-mails or pornographic material received by their child and provide it to law enforcement officers.

Rose also warned online sexual predators: "When you are online looking for children, law enforcement officers are online looking for you. We will find you and you will go to jail."

This year, Gary Archer, age 28, from Valdosta, Georgia, was convicted of one count of interstate travel to sexually abuse a child and one count of transporting a child in interstate commerce for unlawful sex. Archer met a 14-year-old Iowa girl over the Internet, and he drove from Georgia to Iowa with the intent to have sex with her. He also bought airline tickets for the victim to come to Georgia. He had previously telephoned the victim's father claiming to be a family member of a friend of the victim. Archer had sex with the victim in both Iowa and Georgia. Archer is awaiting sentencing.

In another case, Michael Mayer, age 40, of Sibley, Iowa, received a 15-year prison term after he communicated online, through phone calls, and through text messages with a 14-year-old girl. Mayer persuaded the victim to send him pictures and videos of her genitals, and he sent the victim pornographic pictures and videos of himself.

In a sexting case, Garrett Roegner, age 25, from Plymouth, Iowa, received a 6 ½-year prison term after he sent messages on MySpace.com threatening to post sexually explicit pictures of a former girlfriend. One of these pictures showed his former girlfriend engaging in sexually explicit conduct with Roegner when she was 17 years old and Roegner was 19 years old. Roegner admitted he sent the messages to try to get her to have sex with him.

Rose said, "As many children are looking forward to finishing up their school work this spring, our work continues in earnest. Parents need to be as mindful as ever that children need their help and protection when it comes to the Internet. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies remain committed to finding and prosecuting Internet offenders. And we are committed to helping parents keep children safe this summer and throughout the year."

The U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative is a joint effort of federal, state, and local law enforcement and community leaders to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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. For more information about Internet safety, please visit www.netsmartz.org.