Three Persons Plead Guilty in Child Sexual Exploitation and Interstate Prostitution Case

Three persons facing charges related to child exploitation and prostitution pled guilty in the last week in federal court in Sioux City.

Michael Malcom, age 56, from Humboldt, Iowa, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of children. Ashley Prince, age 22, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of one count of aiding and abetting the possession of child pornography. Nikki Fawcett, age 24, from Fort Dodge, was convicted of one count of interstate transportation of another with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

At his plea hearing on July 24, Malcom admitted that, between 2008 and 2010, he employed, used, persuaded, induced, or enticed minors under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. At her plea hearing on July 19, Prince admitted that, between 2009 and 2010, she aided and abetted Malcom in knowingly possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At her plea hearing on July 23, Fawcett admitted that, between 2007 and 2009, she transported one or more persons across a state line, with the intent that such person or persons engage in prostitution.

Sentencings before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after presentence reports are prepared. Malcom and Prince were taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service after their guilty pleas and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Fawcett remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Malcom faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and supervised release for five years to life following his imprisonment. In a plea agreement, Prince agreed to be sentenced to at least 36 months’ imprisonment; she faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and supervised release for five years to life following her imprisonment. In a plea agreement, Fawcett agreed to be sentenced to at least 60 months’ imprisonment; she faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and supervised release for five years to life following her imprisonment.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation; the Fort Dodge Police Department; the Webster County Sheriff’s Office; and the Fremont, Nebraska Police Department.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”