East Texas photographer sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children
TYLER, Texas — A 54-year-old east Texas photographer was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Eastern District of Texas.
This investigation was conducted by special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division (DPS-CID).
Todd Fleming, from McKinney, Texas, pleaded guilty Oct. 2, 2014 to sexually exploiting children and was sentenced March 3 to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Fleming will be required to register as a sex offender and serve a life term of supervised release upon his release from federal prison.
Fleming was indicted by a federal grand jury April 17, 2013, and charged with 24 counts of sexually exploiting children and one count of possessing materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
According to information presented in court, between 1999 and 2007, Fleming, knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced eight girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce visual depictions of such conduct.
“Sexually exploiting children is a crime that has traumatic effects on the most vulnerable members of our society," said Katherine Greer, acting special agent in charge of HSI Dallas. “HSI will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend individuals who sexually exploit our children and deprive them of their innocence.
“Today, Todd Fleming received a sentence that was both fair and appropriately severe,” said U.S. Attorney Bales. “I sincerely hope that the punishment, and the shame, experienced by this defendant will serve as a warning to others attempting to victimize our children. We will continue to have zero tolerance for child pornographers in the Eastern District of Texas.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Eastern District of Texas.
This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.
HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.
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