GYMNASTICS INSTRUCTOR SENTENCED TO THIRTY YEARS IMPRISONMENT
FOR SEXUALLY EXPLOITING MINOR CHILDREN

SAVANNAH, GA: Edmund A. Booth, Jr., Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced today that William Allen McCabe, who recently operated the Savannah Metro Gymnastics facility located in Rincon, Georgia, was sentenced to thirty years imprisonment in U.S. District Court in Savannah, Georgia. On December 5, 2006, McCabe pled guilty to sexually exploiting a minor in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251, and making false statements to a federal agent, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.

At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield imposed the 360 month sentence after carefully considering the pre-sentence report and McCabe’s objections. The court also ordered that McCabe be put on lifetime supervised release and ordered him to pay a $200 special assessment. Booth praised the outstanding work done by Special Agent Joshua Hayes from the Savannah office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who played the lead role in investigating the case.

Booth also singled out for praise Special Agent Thomas D. West of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and John Barry of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, both of whom assisted in the forensic examination of computer evidence. Booth also credited the work done by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Brennan, who initially led the prosecution before leaving to return to private practice. The Government was represented at the sentencing hearing by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen K. Marsh

Booth noted that this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

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