A Lawrenceville, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for paying a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and stream it online, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Curtis E. Thompson, 32, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of production of child pornography. Thompson was charged by complaint on Nov. 10, 2015, and has been in custody since that date. Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Thompson admitted that from May 2015 through September 2015, he used Facebook Messenger and FaceTime on his iPhone to communicate with an individual, referred to in the information as “Victim 1,” and Victim 1’s friends. Thompson also admitted that based on those communications, he learned that Victim 1 was less than 18 years old.
Thompson admitted using Facebook Messenger and FaceTime to encourage Victim 1 and Victim 1’s friends to engage in sexually explicit activity and either record the conduct or stream it online. Thompson also admitted that he offered and made payments to the victim for recording and streaming the sexually explicit conduct.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Thompson to lifetime supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited Special Agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Svetlana M. Eisenberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.