News Releases and Statements

Blake Robert Johnston, 41, of Martinez, is charged in a federal criminal complaint filed late Thursday with traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

William Koch, 20, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for child sexual exploitation and other crimes, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices in Cleveland and Toronto and the FBI.

Gregory Bogomol, 38, of Fort Worth and a former teacher at Denton (Texas) High School, appeared Oct. 15 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton and pleaded guilty to an indictment charging two counts of producing child pornography.

Jeremy David Eades, 28, most recently from Minot, North Dakota, pleaded guilty to using a 4-year-old child to produce child pornography Nov. 29, 2012.

Joshua Quick, from Palestine, Texas, pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography Oct 14 before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.

Jonathan Lee Whitmire, 36, of Auburn, was sentenced by United States District Judge William C. O'Kelley to 20 years in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Whitmire was also ordered to pay a $3,000.00 fine and a $100 special assessment. The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.

Leon Perry Brooks Sr., 40, of Jacksonville, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. Brooks was indicted Dec. 18, 2013. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Richard J. Simone Jr., 23, of Acworth, Georgia, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Mary L. Cooper in Trenton federal court to traveling across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor. Simone has been in custody since his arrest in September 2013.

Joshua Peterson, 45, of Prescott, Arizona, and Steven Grovo, 35, of Shirley, Massachusetts, were accused by a federal grand jury in Montana of promoting the sexual exploitation of children using an international online bulletin board where members advertised, distributed, viewed and received images depicting child pornography.

David Anthony Lavera, 33, of San Diego, California, had his initial appearance and arraignment Oct. 7 on federal child pornography charges in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

Joseph D. Maurizio Jr., 69, a priest at the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, was originally charged by criminal complaint and arrested on Sept. 25.

The first U.S. federal law enforcement app designed to seek the public's help with fugitive and unknown suspected child predators is now available for Android smartphones, and in Spanish for both Apple and Android versions.

Stanley Zdon III, 28, of Tuckerton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to the charge in March. As part of his guilty plea, Zdon admitted that from December 2012 to October 2013 he conspired to produce child pornography with Jonathan Johnson, the administrator of the enterprise in Abita Springs.

Karsten Puschmann, 51, of Kiel, Germany, appeared in federal court Friday. In addition to the 189-month jail term, Puschmann will be subject to a lifetime of supervision following his release from prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Tyler Coons, 23, of Springfield, Missouri, was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday.

Todd Fleming, 54, from McKinney, Texas, pleaded guilty Oct. 2 to sexually exploiting children before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.

According to court documents, Nina Renee Calderon, 23, became involved in a conspiracy to produce child pornography when she was contacted by co-conspirator Robert Harold Scott Jr. under his online identity of "Mike Pyro."

Christopher Steele, aka Mike Dozer, 33, was convicted for use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct, interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and receipt of child pornography.

The training focused on methods of open source investigative techniques designed to assist in the identification and apprehension of child predators.

Travis Lamont Foote, aka "Cash," 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Todd Alan Ramey, 43, was arrested in November 2013 by special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) following a search warrant as his home.

Joseph D. Maurizio, Jr., 69, a priest of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, was charged by criminal complaint with engaging in illicit sexual activity in Central America, and with possessing child pornography at the rectory at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church.

HSI special agents arrested Reinaldo Colon-Aleman, 44, following a referral from the Puerto Rico Police Department's (PRPD) Sexual Crimes Division Jan. 15 regarding an adult male identified as Colon-Aleman.

Jason Christopher Paur, 44, of Seattle, who is currently incarcerated in Canada pending voyeurism charges, was arrested last December by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after female students discovered a hidden camera in their bathroom.

John Jaramillo, 45, of Albuquerque, was arrested April 24 by HSI special agents on a criminal complaint charging him with receiving and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At the time of his arrest, Jaramillo was a registered nurse employed by two home healthcare providers that provide mental health and medical care for children and adolescents.