United States Attorney Leura G. Canary Middle District of Alabama

MAN INDICTED FOR CHILD SEX SLAVE SCHEME

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA— On August 16, 2007, a federal grand jury indicted Thomas Earl Douglas, 61, for attempting to lure a 13-year-old girl to the Dothan, Alabama area to be trained as a sex slave, announced United States Attorney Leura G. Canary.

According to the two-count indictment, Douglas used the screen names “ilikeyounggirls6up” and “travelingman460” to engage in online chat sessions with an undercover police officer posing as a single mother named “Liz.” It is alleged that during the course of those chat sessions, Douglas attempted to persuade “Liz” to bring her 13-year-old daughter from South Burlington, Vermont to the Dothan, Alabama area so that Douglas could train her to be a sex slave. Douglas allegedly told “Liz” that he would have vaginal, anal, and oral sex with the girl, and that he would spank her and teach her to take commands.

The indictment, which also charges Douglas with transporting an image of child pornography over the internet, is the result of a three-month investigation conducted by detectives with the South Burlington, Vermont Police Department and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. An arrest warrant issued by federal Magistrate Judge Wallace Capel, Jr., led to the apprehension of Douglas in Houston, Texas, on August 3, 2007. Douglas is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending an initial appearance and arraignment in the Middle District of Alabama. The crimes that Douglas has been accused of committing are punishable by as much as 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime on supervised release.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In May 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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/.

Assistant United States Attorney Nathan D. Stump will prosecute the case.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.