Former U.S. Coast Guard Serviceman Sentenced to 235 Months in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

A former United States Coast Guard serviceman was sentenced on Tuesday, April 12, 2016, to 235 months in prison by United States District Judge Jose E. Martinez for producing child pornography.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Rear Admiral Scott Buschman, United States Coast Guard Seventh District, and Thomas E. Robarge, Special Agent in Charge, United States Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Southeast Region, made the announcement.

Drew Alexander Young, 24, of Key West, previously pled guilty to one count of production of visual depictions of sexual exploitation of minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) and (e).  After his release from According to court documents and information disclosed during the court proceedings, CGIS investigators executed a military search authorization and searched Young’s Samsung Galaxy S5 cellular telephone as part of a sexual harassment investigation.  Investigators found over twenty video files containing suspected child pornography in Young’s phone.  Investigators also discovered a number of sexually explicit Kik Messenger chats between the defendant and girls as young as thirteen-years-old.  Kik Messenger is a web-based instant messaging application.   During their review of the Kik Messenger chats, investigators discovered chats in which Young repeatedly solicited and received sexually explicit pictures of the minor girls.

This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  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 exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of CGIS.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher B. Browne.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.