St. Louis, Missouri - Man sentenced for videotaping himself raping a 16 year old girl and selling the photos
04/02/07 - U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern District of Missouri
Joseph Trahan was sentenced to 22 ½ years in federal prison for production of child pornography, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced today.
“The tremendous work of the Highway Patrol and the Postal Inspection Service took a dangerous predator off the streets," said Hanaway. “This man will be in prison until he is well into his sixties, followed by supervised release for the rest of his life.”
Between November 15, 2005 and January 24, 2006, Trahan videotaped himself engaged in sexual activity with a sixteen-year old girl and distributed them through the mail in exchange for money. In January 2006, Trahan was in possession of numerous image files on his computer depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Trahan was stopped by the Highway Patrol in Callaway County for a routine traffic violation when an alert Highway Patrolman followed up on his suspicions concerning the relationship between Trahan and the juvenile, who was in the car when he was stopped. A subsequent search of the car and a later search warrant at Trahan’s St. Charles County residence found child pornography involving the juvenile. Trahan is from Phoenix, but maintained a residence in St. Charles County.
Trahan, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona pled guilty last December to two felony counts of production of child pornography.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created 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/.
Hanaway commended the work on the case by the Postal Inspection Service and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Joseph Trahan was sentenced to 22 ½ years in federal prison for production of child pornography, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced today.
“The tremendous work of the Highway Patrol and the Postal Inspection Service took a dangerous predator off the streets," said Hanaway. “This man will be in prison until he is well into his sixties, followed by supervised release for the rest of his life.”
Between November 15, 2005 and January 24, 2006, Trahan videotaped himself engaged in sexual activity with a sixteen-year old girl and distributed them through the mail in exchange for money. In January 2006, Trahan was in possession of numerous image files on his computer depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Trahan was stopped by the Highway Patrol in Callaway County for a routine traffic violation when an alert Highway Patrolman followed up on his suspicions concerning the relationship between Trahan and the juvenile, who was in the car when he was stopped. A subsequent search of the car and a later search warrant at Trahan’s St. Charles County residence found child pornography involving the juvenile. Trahan is from Phoenix, but maintained a residence in St. Charles County.
Trahan, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona pled guilty last December to two felony counts of production of child pornography.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created 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/.
Hanaway commended the work on the case by the Postal Inspection Service and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.