Mississippi Man Arrested And Charged With Attempted Child Enticement And Transportation Of Child Pornography

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the arrest and charging by criminal complaint of Clayton Junior Thornburg (53, Luka, Mississippi) for attempted child enticement and transportation of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. 

According to the criminal complaint, beginning in August, 2015, and continuing through November 18, 2015, Thornburg communicated online with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent who was posing as a 13-year-old girl. During the online communications, Thornburg graphically discussed the illegal sexual activities that he wanted to engage in with the “child” and sent the “child” an image of his penis. Additionally, he sent the “child” both child and adult pornography, including videos that were sadistic in nature.

This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.

This case was 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 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.justice.gov/psc.