St. Louis man sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison after traveling to Denver to have sex with mother and her 2 minor daughters

DENVER — A St. Louis man was sentenced Tuesday to serve 135 months (just over 11 years) in federal prison for traveling to Colorado to have sex with minors.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Darwin Gilbert Gowen, 62, of St. Louis, Missouri, who appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, was remanded at its conclusion.

Gowen was first charged by Criminal Complaint June 20, 2014. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver July 2, 2014. He pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson March 31; he was sentenced June 16. Gowen was also sentenced to serve 10 years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.

According to court documents, Gowen was arrested by HSI agents at Denver International Airport (DIA) after he traveled with intent to have sex with two minor children. Specifically, the investigation began when an HSI special agent based in Greeley, Colorado, who was working in an undercover capacity as a 37-year-old single mother of two minor daughters, ages 15 and 11, came into contact with Gowen. The special agent, acting in the undercover persona, communicated with the defendant who expressed an interest in having sex with the mother and both daughters.

During the conversations, which took place primarily via email and text, Gowen stated that he was “a 60 year old male, widowed … wanting to experience the wild side of life.” He also said he “adored chubby girls” … and was “looking for naughty daughters … who love to hook up with a kinky mom for mom daughter fun.” Further investigation revealed that the individual was the defendant, Gowen, of St. Louis, Missouri.

Gowen told the undercover special agent that he was going to fly to Denver to see her and have sex with her and her daughters. HSI special agents confirmed that Gowen had arranged to fly to Denver on June 19. On that date, he flew from St. Louis to DIA. Gowen met a female HSI special agent, who purported to be the mother of the two minor children, at the DIA baggage claim. After the two discussed that he flew to Denver for the express purpose of having sex with the two minor children, he was arrested.

This case was investigated by HSI. The Denver Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol assisted with the arrest at DIA.

Gowen was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia Riewerts, the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the District of Colorado.

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 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 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.

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.