News Releases and Statements

In addition to the lengthy prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney imposed a 20-year period of supervised release to follow the incarceration of 41-year-old Chad Kraft, from Galesburg, Michigan.

Thomas Scott Perkins, 31, from Fort Stockton, was sentenced Oct. 25 in federal court to 1,890 months in federal prison.

Billy Edward Frederick, 52, of Redondo Beach, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who after sentencing Frederick to life, said that “to say his conduct is despicable is an understatement.”

The results of a multi-agency undercover operation supported by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and led by the Phoenix Police Department Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEaT) Unit, was announced Oct. 24.

According to the investigation, from at least Dec. 11, 2018 through April 8, 2019, Chad Michael Lehofer, 37, of Fredericksburg, repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit discussions with a minor online – including enticing and coercing the minor to produce sexually explicit pictures and videos.

Jerome Pangilinan, 22, of Sierra Vista, was arrested after SVPD and HSI served a search warrant on the 500 block of Coronado.

On March 29, Miksell was found guilty of one count of producing child pornography and one count of using the internet and a cell phone to induce a child to engage in sexual activity.

Angela Marie Brown, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise from Jan. 1, 2017, to Nov. 6, 2019. Co-defendants Kevin Grant McMillan, 35, Christine Marie Rossiter, 36, and Amber Marie Baley, 38, all of Springfield, and Casie Dee Rice, 52, of Branson, have also pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Mychal Olson, 32, of Dubuque, received the prison term after an April 22, guilty plea to receipt of child pornography.

Andrian Page, 36, was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to 28 years in federal prison for the production of child pornography; 60 months for the distribution of child pornography; 60 months for the receipt of child pornography; and 60 months for the possession of child pornography.

Jamel Muldrew, 34, of Houston, was sentenced Oct. 5, 2022, after a TBHTTF investigation revealed that he had been trafficking the minor victim across the country to engage in commercial sex acts.

Ricardo Reyes-Garcia, 26, from Reynosa, Mexico, was indicted on two counts for both receipt and possession of child pornography.

Jose Ricardo Zamora-Ibarra, 35, illegally residing in Palmview was sentenced Oct. 4 to 180 months in prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Zamora-Ibarra was further ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to known victims and must register as a sex offender.

On January 25, HSI and AJPD conducted a search warrant at the residence of Dale Lenz, 30, of Phoenix, who was subsequently arrested after a forensic analysis of his device revealed hundreds of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) files.

The Surprise Police Department Criminal Investigations Division also partnered with the Scottsdale, Glendale, Goodyear and the Peoria Police Department, in addition to the United States Marshals Service and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for operation “Back to Skool.”

Cedric Robert Cox, 53, was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to seven years for each of the receiving and possessing convictions, but his terms will run concurrently for a total of seven years in prison. Cox was further ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution to known victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Cox will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

Kelley Stanley, 48, of Sierra Vista, was arrested by HSI special agents after attempting to pick up a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexual conduct. According to law enforcement, Stanley planned to pick up the girl from a parking lot near the intersection of Wilcox and Coronado Drive.

Michael Roberts, 40, of Round Rock, was arrested without incident.

Kelly, 55, of Chicago, was convicted on three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. The maximum sentence for enticement of a minor is 10 years. In all, Kelly faces a sentence of 10-90 years in prison.

William Thomas Bailey, 42, pled guilty to the charges Jan. 4.

Any time spent on the internet can potentially expose a child to cyber predators who know how to exploit them. Children are vulnerable when they are online – parents can help protect and help them make safer and smarter choices when they are online and interacting through social media.

The Court of Justice of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, issued an arrest warrant for Thomas Francis Donschat in June 2020, due to his charge of rape of a vulnerable (minor female 13 years of age). The Federal Police of Brazil requested assistance in the apprehension of Donschat.

Billy Rae Clark, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Clark to 30 years of supervised release following incarceration.

A Springfield man and woman were sentenced in federal court today for the sex trafficking of a child following a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), joint law enforcement partner probe. Joseph W. Gibson, 43, and Danna Marie Rodriguez, 37, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes.

Gilbert Gallegos, 46, of Lordsburg, pleaded guilty on Jan. 29, 2021, to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.