AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885

FEBRUARY 6, 2006

ELKRIDGE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TRAVELING IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE TO ENGAGE IN SEX WITH A MINOR

Federal Prosecution Followed Reversal of State Conviction

BALTIMORE, Maryland - United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announces that today Richard Joseph Moore, age 39, of Elkridge, Maryland pled guilty to traveling in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity with a minor. Moore had previously been convicted in state court of a child pornography charge, as well as an attempted third degree sex offense in connection with this incident. That conviction was overturned on appeal because the state court found the state statute was more narrowly drawn than the applicable federal statute.

U.S. Attorney Rosenstein stated, "This case is a good example of the important role that federal prosecutors can serve when a dangerous criminal avoids prosecution by state authorities."

According to the agreed statement of facts presented to the court, on July 9, 2002 and July 10, 2002, a police officer from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office signed on to the Internet in an undercover capacity using screen name “sherrygirl882001,” posing as a 14 year-old minor female. Moore, using screen names, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the undercover officer and stated that he wanted to come to the residence of “sherrygirl882001" to have sex. On July 12, 2002, when Moore again expressed a desire to have sex with “sherrygirl882001" and another 14 year old girl that the undercover officer had spoken about, the undercover officer gave Moore an address on Waverley Drive in Frederick City, Maryland, stating that “she” lived in an apartment above the rental office. Moore agreed to the date, time and place set for the rendezvous. Moore stated that his name was Rich, and he would be operating a Black Jeep Cherokee and wearing a red-striped Polo shirt and blue jeans.

On July 12, 2002, Maryland State Police ICAC Task Force members observed a black Jeep Cherokee, operated by a man wearing a red-striped Polo shirt, pull into the parking lot of the agreed upon apartment building and enter a parking space in front of the rental office. ICAC Task Force members arrested the driver who was identified as Moore. Moore stated that he came to Waverley Drive to engage in sex with two minors he had met on the internet.

Moore faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2006.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland Sate Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Norman, who is prosecuting the case.