United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said: “This defendant, using an internet chat room, attempted to entice into sexual activity a child he believed to be a ten-year-old girl. We are dedicated to protecting our children from this type of online sexual predator and rescuing children from sexual abuse. This was a very serious crime, but one good thing has come out of it: the defendant’s post-arrest cooperation allowed law enforcement to identify and rescue a young girl from exploitation.”

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: In the first week of November 2006, NELSON initiated an online chat in a Yahoo chat room with an undercover agent working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Child Task Force. The task force agent was posing as the mother of a ten-year-old girl. NELSON discussed his past sexual experiences with minor children, including some he claimed to have met online. During online chats and phone calls that took place over approximately a two-week period, NELSON made a number of graphic statements about sexual acts he wanted to engage in with the ten-year-old child. On November 19, 2006, NELSON traveled to Georgia for what he believed was a meeting with the mother and daughter. He was arrested by FBI agents when he left his hotel to go to the prearranged meeting location.

NELSON was indicted in December 2006. He pleaded guilty today to a count of child enticement. He could receive a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Based upon NELSON’s cooperation with the government after his arrest, law enforcement officers were able to take action to protect a young girl who had been sexually victimized, and is now safely in protective custody.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2008, at 10 a.m., before United States District Judge Jack T. Camp.

This case was investigated by Task Force Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Child Task Force. Significant assistance in this case has been provided by the Clayton County Police Department and its personnel contribution to the Task Force.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General’s Office launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Teresa D. Hoyt is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-meus), United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.