East Texas Man Sentenced to 35 years for Child Exploitation Violations

A 40-year-old Daisetta, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston .

Steven Wayne Robinson pleaded guilty on Sep. 1, 2016, to two counts of production of child pornography and was sentenced to a total of 420 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

According to information presented in court, Robinson persuaded, induced, and coerced three children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing videos or visual depictions of that conduct.  Homeland Security Investigations conducted an online undercover operation targeting Robinson and other child predators, and Robinson sent ten videos to the undercover operation that depicted himself engaging in sexual acts with children known to him.  One victim was less than one-year-old, a second victim was six years of age, and a third victim was only eight years old.  Robinson forced each of them to engage in sexual acts with him.  Further investigation by the office of Homeland Security revealed that Robinson at one point offered to give another suspected child predator access to one of the children in exchange for money to be paid to Robinson.  Homeland Security working with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office took Robinson into custody before Robinson could act on those intentions. Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 4, 2015.

“For the victims of child abuse, we pray for their healing,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.  “These cases are heart wrenching for all involved, the child advocates, the families, the investigators, the prosecutors and the courts; I applaud their resilience and fortitude in bringing Steven Robinson to justice.  For Robinson, he deserves all the punishment ordered, and for those out there that choose to do these despicable acts, law enforcement will be knocking at your door and justice will be swift.”

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.<http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.>