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Press Release

Illinois Man Sentenced On Interstate Sex Offense

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts
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Boston - An Illinois man was sentenced today in federal court for an interstate sex offense involving a 15-year-old girl.

James Waddell, 36, of Montrose, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Waddell pleaded guilty to one count of Inducing Travel to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity on Nov. 14, 2012.

Waddell met a 15-year-old girl in Massachusetts on the Internet through a role-playing game. Waddell later began communicating with the girl by telephone and webcam, and by the spring 2009, Waddell was encouraging the girl to masturbate on the webcam while he recorded it. In August 2009, Waddell traveled from Illinois to Enfield, Conn. to meet the girl and have sex with her. Waddell induced her to cross from Massachusetts into Connecticut so that he could take her to a motel room where he had sex with her and recorded it. At the time, the sex was a violation of Connecticut law because Waddell was 31 and the girl was 15.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Massachusetts State Police and Longmeadow Police Department also provided assistance. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Ortiz's Springfield Branch Office.


Updated December 15, 2014