Kansas man, 72, sentenced in federal court in Houston to 17 ½ years for using child pornography with intent to import into US

HOUSTON — A retired Kansas native residing in Panama was sentenced to 17 ½ years in federal prison Friday for using sexually explicit depictions of a minor to import into the United States.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Houston.  

Jebediah Dishman, 72, of Fredonia, Kansas, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison to be followed by 25 years of supervised release during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He was further ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $3,000 in restitution.

Dishman pleaded guilty to the criminal charges on April 6, 2018. According to admissions made in conjunction with a plea agreement, Dishman began a six-month trip to several countries in Southeast Asia in September 2014. While visiting Indonesia, another tourist observed Dishman engaging in suspicious interactions with minors, masturbating while watching minors and using a tablet to take photographs of a 3-year-old German child. The tourist confronted Dishman, seized his tablet and turned it over to local authorities. U.S. law enforcement later reviewed the tablet pursuant to a search warrant and discovered sexually explicit images of minors, including the German child, as well as internet searches indicating an interest in sex trafficking minors in Southeast Asia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Sherri Zack is prosecuting this case along with James E. Burke IV and William M. Grady of the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). AUSA Elly Peirson of the Central District of Illinois, previously on detail at CEOS, also served as a vital member of the prosecution team at earlier stages of the litigation.

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 19,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2018, more than 3,000 (3,191) child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 850 (859) victims identified or rescued.

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. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

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.

HSI is a founding member 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.