Todd County, Kentucky, Man Guilty Of Coercing Minors To Engage In Sexually Explicit Conduct And Receiving Child Pornography

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Todd County, Kentucky man pleaded guilty today, in U.S. District Court to charges of persuading, inducing and coercing two minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct and with receiving child pornography announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

Jesse Sanford Williams, age 34, pleaded guilty to all three counts of the indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl in Bowling Green. Williams was arrested on March 7, 2014, by federal agents in Kentucky, following an investigation that began in the state of Washington on March 28, 2013. In court, Williams admitted to blackmailing, by threat, at least two minor, teen girls, in order to receive sexually explicit images of them, by means of multiple Gmail and Yahoo internet accounts. The activities took place between June 2011 and March 2013. Victim-1 lived in Washington, and was 13 years of age at the onset of the Internet threats. Victim-2 lived in Todd County, and was approximately the same age. At all times, Williams concealed his age and identity from the victims. A subpoena of email accounts determined all email accounts shared the same Internet Protocol (IP) address from an account located at Logan Aluminum, a large manufacturing facility located near Russellville, Kentucky. The FBI was able to identify Williams from shift schedules, IP login times and other materials obtained in the investigation. Further, Williams admitted to knowingly receiving child pornography between June 2011 and March 2013.

If convicted at trial, Williams faced a combined sentence of at least 15 years, but no more than 80 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 and a term of supervised release including up to life. Williams is scheduled for sentencing before Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell on February 4, 2015, in Bowling Green.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marisa Ford and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville and Seattle Divisions and police in Washington State.