Mississippi Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Interstate Travel for the Purpose of Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Fourteen-Year-Old Girl

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ERIC SCOTT ALFORD, age 38, a resident of Clinton, Mississippi, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 46 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b).  Judge Ashe further required ALFORD to comply with sex offender registration requirements and to pay $5,100 in assessments.

According to court documents, on about July 26, 2023, ALFORD, an adult male, contacted an undercover law enforcement officer purporting to be an adult female with a fourteen-year-old daughter (FA1) on a social network and messaging application designed for individuals  interested in various “kink,” “fetish,” and alternative sexual practices. ALFORD asked what “kinks” FA1 had.  On multiple occasions, over the next several days, in his correspondence with FA1, ALFORD expressed a desire and intent to engage in various forms of sexual contact with FA1 and her fourteen-year-old daughter, both individually and collectively, including by providing graphic descriptions of the sexual acts.  ALFORD also frequently discussed and planned face-to-face meetings with FA1 and her daughter to engage in sexual acts with each of them, including suggesting that they travel to ALFORD’s residence.  Separately, ALFORD communicated via an instant messaging application directly with who he believed to be FA1’s minor daughter.  During that conversation, ALFORD again described sexual acts he intended to perform on and with FA1 and the child, individually and collectively. 

On August 2, 2023, ALFORD told FA1’s minor daughter that he was traveling to Hammond, Louisiana that evening to engage first in sex acts with FA1 and then to engage in sex acts with both FA1 and her daughter.  That evening, ALFORD  drove from Flowood, Mississippi to Hammond, Louisiana, in furtherance of his intent to engage in sexual acts with FA1 and her minor daughter.