Former Youth Minister Sentenced to 264 Months in Federal Prison on Child Enticement Conviction

DALLAS — A former youth minister in Garland, Texas, Derek Hutter, 38, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn to 264 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in June 2015 to one count of enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. 

Hutter has been in custody since his arrest in December 2014. 

According to plea documents filed in the case, Hutter worked as a youth minister at the South Garland Baptist Church.  He used the Internet, his cell phone and email, as well as person-to-person contact at youth group, to communicate with Jane Doe, a minor girl in his youth group.  During these conversations, he convinced Jane Doe to have a sexual relationship with him.  Hutter sexually assaulted Jane Doe on several occasions between January 1, 2014, through approximately September 15, 2014.

In addition, according to the filed factual resume, Hutter emailed Jane Doe and asked that she send him explicit and lewd photos of herself. 

Hutter admitted that he knew Jane Doe was between 13 and 14-years old.  

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The Sachse Police Department, the Garland Police Department and the FBI investigated.   Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted.

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