FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885
MARCH 31, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON
FOR CONVICTION IN INTERNET SEX TRAVEL CASE
First Conviction Under Section 2251A of the Protect Act
Since the Enhanced Penalties Became Effective
BALTIMORE, Maryland - United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announces that today U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Thomas C. Moser, age 37, of Leighton, Pennsylvania, to 30 years in prison, followed by supervised release for life. In addition, Judge Bennett ordered that Moser must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life, have no unsupervised contact with minors, and cannot use a computer without prior approval of the U.S. Probation Office.
Moser was convicted on January 9, 2006 of using the internet to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, interstate travel to engage in a sexual act with a minor and using the internet to obtain control of a minor for the purpose of producing child pornography.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein stated, “This successful prosecution results from the effective partnership with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, and ensures that the defendant will not pose a threat to the safety of our children for a very long time.”
According to testimony presented at trial, in May 2005 Moser contacted an undercover postal inspector in an internet chat room partially entitled “incest.” Moser continued his on-line conversations with the postal inspector and asked if he could travel from his home in Pennsylvania to Frederick, Maryland in order to have sexual relations with the undercover postal inspector’s 14 and 12 year-old daughters. Moser also stated he would bring photographic equipment with him to record his sexual activities with the girls.
The postal inspector testified that he and Moser agreed to meet on September 9, 2005 at a store in Frederick, Maryland. After confirming by telephone that he was on his way, Moser arrived in Frederick, Maryland at the agreed upon time and was arrested by federal agents and detectives from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.
This is believed to be the first conviction under Section 2251A of the Protect Act enacted on April 30, 2003 which prohibits a person having custody or control of a minor from offering to obtain control of a minor for the purpose of producing child pornography. Section 2251A imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Maryland State Police and Frederick County Sheriff’s Office which are assisting in the case. Mr. Rosenstein also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew G.W. Norman and Jennifer Wright, who prosecuted the case.
This page last modified—March 31, 2006