A 28-year-old Melbourne man has been sentenced in the Melbourne County Court this week (Wednesday 26 May 2021), after pleading guilty to having sexually indecent conversations with a child in the United States.
The Victoria Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET) launched its investigation into the Warrandyte man after receiving a report from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in the United States in May, 2019.
The referral outlined an Australian user, later identified as the 28-year-old Warrandyte man, was indecently communicating with a 13-year-old girl across a range of social media platforms and via text message.
The court heard the man engaged the girl in sexually suggestive conversations and sent her naked images of himself, before a covert online operative took control of the child's social media accounts.
On 3 June 2019, investigators in Australia executed a search warrant and arrested the man at his home.
A number of items were seized including his mobile phone, which contained the child's contact information.
He was then charged with:
• Using a carriage service to transmit indecent communication to person under 16 years of age Pursuant to Section 474.27A of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (10 years imprisonment)
The man was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and released on a two year suspended sentence.
The Victorian JACET comprises of police members from the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police.
Members of the public who have any information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online.
If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at ThinkUKnow, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
