Lakeland Man Pleads Guilty To Production Of Child Pornography

Tampa, FL– Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Lawrence H. Dorman a/k/a “Howie” (42, Lakeland) today pleaded guilty to production of child pornography.  Dorman faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, up to a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Dorman was indicted on July 31, 2013.

According to the plea agreement, following an anonymous tip from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tipline, law enforcement determined that from approximately December 2012 until April 2013, Dorman a/k/a "Howie" engaged in a sexual relationship with a sixteen year-old minor female.  Throughout the course of that relationship Dorman produced videos of himself engaged in sexual acts with the minor.         

On April 3, 2013, agents from ICE-HSI, the Lakeland Police Department, and Polk County Sheriff's Office conducted a search warrant at Dorman’s residence.  During the search of the residence, law enforcement seized and previewed several electronic media items, including a video file on Dorman's desktop computer.  The video depicted Dorman engaged in sexual contact with a minor female victim.  When interviewed by law enforcement, Dorman admitted to having sex with the minor victim and creating video recordings of the sex acts. 

A subsequent interview with the minor victim corroborated the seized evidence.  Additionally, the minor victim advised that Dorman provided her with marijuana and methamphetamine, while she was at his residence. 

This case was investigated by ICE-HSI and the Lakeland Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.

It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 the 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.