COLUMBUS, OHIO — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Fairfield County, Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to crimes related to child pornography and sextortion.
Devin Bailey, 27, of Millersport, Ohio, admitted to distributing child pornography of a minor victim and using those images, in addition to others, in interstate communications to extort an adult victim for images of herself.
According to his plea agreement, Bailey used multiple personas online to solicit sexually explicit photographs of the adult victim and then used the images he obtained to threaten and extort her for more explicit photographs of herself.
Bailey also sent additional messages to the adult victim that depicted pornographic images of nude minor females exposing their genitalia to the camera or engaged in acts of masturbation. After receiving these images from Bailey, the adult victim recognized one of the minor females depicted in the images she received. That minor female was approximately 12 years old at the time the images and videos were created. The minor child believed she had sent the explicit images and videos to a female in Florida, who in reality was another persona of Bailey’s. These photos of the nude minor were then kept by Bailey for over five years and sent to the adult victim to coerce her into taking sexually explicit photographs of herself for Bailey.
Bailey also threatened to distribute the child pornography of the known minor female to family members of the adult victim and across the internet if the adult victim did not comply with his demands.
In May and June 2022, Bailey also used numerous email addresses, cell phone numbers and Snapchat accounts to harass the adult victim, threatening to share pornographic images of her as well. He said if the victim did not send him new explicit photos or videos, he would use the older materials against her.
Bailey’s threats persisted for weeks. He consistently and aggressively messaged the adult victim and, when she indicated she would involve law enforcement, Bailey responded, “Go ahead, they are untraceable numbers, and I can get hundreds more lol.”
A forensic review of Bailey’s electronic devices revealed that they contained approximately 200 images and 20 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Distributing child pornography is a federal crime punishable by a range of five to 20 years in prison. Interstate communications with the intent to extort carries a potential penalty of up to two years in prison. Congress sets statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a later hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Lancaster Police Chief Nicholas H. Snyder announced the guilty plea entered on October 11 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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