United States of America v. William Ahart

An Illinois man, who is a registered sex offender and was convicted of transporting numerous images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of three minor children, was sentenced on Dec. 13, to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas, who sits in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

According to court record, William Ahart, 42, of Ill., arrived into the Port Everglades cruise ship terminal in Fort Lauderdale from the U.S. Virgin Islands on June 15. Due to Ahart being a registered sex offender, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted an examination of Ahart’s smartphone and discovered numerous images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Fort Lauderdale responded and further reviewed Ahart’s smartphone and discovered the CSAM images were sent to Ahart on messaging applications by three minor females who Ahart had been communicating with over several months. HSI Fort Lauderdale agents arrested Ahart, who admitted to communicating with minor females and receiving and viewing the CSAM images. Further investigation by HSI revealed that during sexually charged conversations between Ahart and one of the minor victims, Ahart encouraged the minor victim to engage in self-harm. Evidence was also uncovered during the investigation that Ahart mailed the minor victim a “fun package” containing knives, candles for hot wax, thumb tacks, and a shock collar so that the victim could continue to engage in self-harm.

On Sept. 20, Ahart pled guilty to transportation of child sexual abuse material.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI Miami made the announcement.

HSI Miami and the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case with the assistance from CBP and HSI Albany, N.Y. Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Catherine Koontz prosecuted it.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 the PSC initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 180 months in federal prison