Press Release
Ocoee Man Sentenced To Seven Years For Distribution Of Child Pornography
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida
Orlando, FL – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon, II today sentenced Shawn Williams (42, Ocoee) to seven years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. He was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervision and to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Williams pleaded guilty on October 31, 2014.
According to court documents, Williams responded to a sexually explicit Craigslist ad and began conversing online with an Orlando man, William Edward Osman. The two men discussed their mutual interest in child pornography and attempted to make arrangements to meet in person for a sexual rendezvous. On May 9, 2013, Williams used his cell phone to send Osman images depicting child pornography, and they discussed meeting to share their collections of child pornography. During their conversations, Osman told Williams that he had a one-year-old child. Williams then asked Osman to send him “baby pics” and “adult with baby pics.”
On October 15, 2013, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations arrested Osman on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children. Agents seized Osman’s phone and identified Williams as one of the individuals with whom he had been electronically trading child pornography.
On September 3, 2014, Osman was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
This was another case 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, 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.
Updated April 22, 2015
Topic
Project Safe Childhood
Component