Hayward Man Sentenced To Over Ten Years Imprisonment For Receipt Of Child Pornography And Travel With The Intent To Engage In Illicit Sexual Conduct

SAN FRANCISCO – Craig Patrick Burt was sentenced yesterday to 127 months’ imprisonment for receipt of child pornography and travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced Acting United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson.

In 2007, Burt, 60, of Hayward, helped to create the Children’s Grace learning center, a charity for impoverished children living in the Philippines.  On June 15, 2015, Burt pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography and travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.  As part of his plea agreement, Burt admitted that starting in July 2013 he received through his email accounts images of girls ages 10-15 years old who were engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Burt asked for and received these images from an individual in the Philippines and he sent money and gifts to the young girls.  Burt further admitted that in January of 2015, he flew to the Philippines where he intended to engage in sexual contact with girls between 10 and 15 years of age.  He described in great detail in internet chat messages what specific sexual acts he wanted to perform with the young girls.  On February 15, 2015, Burt was arrested at San Francisco International Airport, when he was attempting to reenter the United States.

Burt was indicted on March 3, 2015.  He was charged in four counts of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c); sex trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1) and (b)(1); receipt or distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2); and travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b).  Under the plea agreement, Burt pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and 2423(b).

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Thelton E. Henderson, Senior U.S. District Judge.  Judge Henderson also imposed a five year period of supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila A.G. Armbrust is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Patricia Mahoney.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.