Score:   1
Docket Number:   ND-OK  4:19-cr-00142
Case Name:   USA v. Williams
  Press Releases:
TULSA, Okla. – A man who believed he was communicating online with a 13-year-old girl but in reality was messaging law enforcement officers was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Thomas Kyle Williams, 40, of Sand Springs, to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Williams pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, 2019.

From March 21, 2019, to June 10, 2019, Williams used his cell phone and two social media apps to attempt to coerce an individual he believed to be a minor into engaging in sex acts with him. In reality, Williams was speaking to a Tulsa Police Department Cyber Crimes Unit detective, and he was later arrested after he arranged to meet the “minor” on June 10, 2019. 

“Child predators like Thomas Williams think the apparent anonymity of the Internet can hide their identity along with their perverse motives and deeds. But they are mistaken. The dedicated men and women of law enforcement are on the job and protecting our children,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I commend Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Gallant, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for this child exploitation investigation and prosecution. Justice was served today.”

The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Gallant prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  Internet safety education can be found on the tab labeled "resources” on the left column of the page.

 

The Department of Justice announced Tuesday the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day.  This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.

Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners.  Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.

Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them.  To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.

The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority.  To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed.  Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.

“This initiative has two crucial goals: rescuing children being sold for sex and prosecuting their adult traffickers,” said Attorney General William P. Barr.  “Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society.  Perpetrators victimize children in communities throughout the country, and we are determined to find and rescue them.  Through the FBI’s leadership, we have recovered thousands of child victims, and this latest operation adds to the success of that decades-long effort.”  

“Make no mistake, the FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.  “Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking.  Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives.”

“The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership with the FBI.  The FBI and the Department of Justice have been instrumental in spearheading multi-agency collaboration between organizations to locate and provide resources to victims of child sex trafficking,” said John Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC.  “We know this horrendous crime impacts communities across our country every day and we applaud the FBI for continuing to work tirelessly to locate these victims and hold accountable those who are selling children for sex.”

As part of Operation Independence Day, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma and the FBI Oklahoma City Division announced charges against nine individuals in U.S. District Court.

“I have zero tolerance for child predators and will use every tool available to identify and prosecute them. They will feel the full weight of law. Child victims will be given a voice. Justice for these victims will be our constant pursuit,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Operation Independence Day was a success because of the multi-jurisdictional partnerships who came together in common cause and mission. For that, I am grateful, and I know that children in northern Oklahoma are safer as a result.”

"The law enforcement actions taken by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, in support of Operation Independence Day, epitomizes our dedication to apprehending those who choose to engage in criminal activity that exploits innocent children," said Melissa Godbold, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Oklahoma City Division. "The alleged actions exhibited by each of these subjects not only violate the law but have the potential to cause irreparable harm to the mental and physical well-being of their victims."

Individuals charged federally are as follows:

Christopher Cervantes, 48, of Skiatook:  Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

Thomas Dustin Daughtry, 42, of Sperry: Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Possession of Child Pornography, and Coercion and Enticement.

Carnell Lovette Matthews, 43, of Tulsa:  Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

Casey Adam Parker, 39, of Afton: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

Jason Ray Smith, 40, of Sapulpa: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

Carl Thomas Spaeth, 35, of Broken Arrow: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

Lucas Shane Vann, 18, of Salina, Oklahoma: Sexual Exploitation of a Child

Corey Daniel Vessar, 30, of Skiatook, Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

Thomas Kyle Williams, 40, of Sand Springs: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography

As part of the operation, the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office has charged multiple other defendants for alleged sex crimes against children.

In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI).  This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States.  In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs.  These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.

Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation.  This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims.  The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.

In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking.  Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers.  The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.

The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program.  The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking and pursuing those who exploit them.

The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation.  For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit www.fbi.gov/oid2019.

TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the July 2019 Federal Grand Jury B.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Miguel Angel Benitez. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.  Benitez, 51, of Tulsa, is charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported Aug. 13, 2010, at Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and ICE- Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE- ERO) are the investigative agencies.

Ricardo Bra-Torres and Jamie Lee Hughes. Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering. Bra-Torres, 30, and Hughes, 33, both of Tulsa, are charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. They are also charged with traveling from Oklahoma to Texas while possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and with distributing the drug. The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies

­Christopher Michael Cervantes. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Cervantes, 48, of Sperry, is charged with using the internet to attempt to coerce and entice a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies..

Levi Owen Handle.  Fugitive in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Handle, 30, of Gravette, Arkansas, is charged with being a fugitive from justice and possessing a Mossberg 12-guage shotgun, a Ruger .22 caliber pistol, and ammunition. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Tyler Aaron Holmes. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Holmes, 21, of Miami, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., .357 Magnum caliber revolver and associated ammunition. He is further charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and with possessing the .357 Magnum in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs; Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative Agencies.

Jimmy Gene Kelly, Jr. Felon in Possession of Firearm. Kelly, Jr., 49, of Miami, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Savage 12-guage shotgun after having previously been convicted in federal court of second degree murder in 1992. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies.

Patricia Lee Kendall and Peggy Lee Larue. Concealment of Government Property (Two Counts). Kendall, 66, and Larue, 63, both of Sapulpa, are charged with aiding and abetting each other to illegally take and conceal government property in the form of money from the Social Security Administration in the aggregate value of $224,237 in Social Security income. They are also charged with aiding and abetting each other to illegally take and conceal government property in the form of money from the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund in the aggregate value of $129,765 in military retirement funds. The Social Security Administration- Office of Inspector General and Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service are the investigative agencies.

Johnny Xavier Mendez. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Mendez, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender. He allegedly did not register nor update his registration when he moved to Oklahoma in February 2015. The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies.

Alexander Payne. Drug Conspiracy. Payne, age unavailable, of Hemet, California, is charged with conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and with distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.

Rogelio Hernandez Rodriguez. Sexual Exploitation of a Child; Possession of Child Pornography. Rodriguez, 30, of Wagoner, is charged with sexually exploiting a child and inducing the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the conduct. Rodriguez is further charged with knowingly possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography in one or more graphic image files and video files. The sexually graphic images were stored on hard drives and multiple SD cards and allegedly involved the use of at least one prepubescent minor and a minor that had not attained 12 years of age. The Wagoner Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.  

Deandre Marcel Simon. Felon in Possession of Firearms. Simon, 28, of    Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Forjas Taurus S.A. .25 ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol and associated ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. 

David Jason Thomas. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Thomas, 46, of Vinita, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock, 9 x 19 caliber pistol and ammunition. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Corey Daniel Vessar. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Vessar, 30, of Skiatook, is charged with using the internet to attempt to coerce and entice a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies.

Thomas Kyle Williams. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Williams, 40, of Sand Springs, is charged with knowingly attempting to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity. He is further charged with knowingly receiving child pornography and is also charged with possessing child pornography on one or more image files and video files. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Shelvon Williams.  Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.  Williams, 25, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of Glock 21 pistol and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the third highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE3
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE3
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
Magistrate Docket Number:   ND-OK  4:19-mj-00128
Case Name:   USA v. Williams
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the third highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE3
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE3
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
F U C K I N G P E D O S R E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E