Tractor-Trailor Driver from Illinois Sentenced for Transporting Minor from Virginia to South Dakota and Engaging in Criminal Sexual Activity

ABINGDON, Va.– A Cahokia, Illinois man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison for transporting a minor from Virginia to South Dakota with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to court documents, David Skaggs, 33, was an over-the-road tractor-trailer operator. In 2015, Skaggs started communicating on Facebook with a 15-year-old boy in Lee County, Virginia. Over the course of several months, Skaggs and the boy, “AA,” developed a friendly relationship and Skaggs became acquainted with AA’s family, including AA’s younger sister, victim “KL,” who was 13 years old.

In August 2015, Skaggs took AA and KL on a long-distance trip in his tractor-trailer. Skaggs picked up AA and KL in Lee County and drove them to South Dakota. After stopping at a truck stop in South Dakota, Skaggs bought the two minors alcohol, and they all drank while sitting in the truck. After AA was asleep, Skaggs had sexual intercourse with KL in the sleeper portion of Skaggs’ truck.  KL later gave birth to Skaggs’s child.    

“David Skaggs befriended the victim’s family to gain their trust only to later identify and abuse the young victim after driving her halfway across the country,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said today. “Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature of his offense and just how serious this Justice Department approaches cases involving the abuse of children. I am grateful to the FBI, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia Department of Social Services for the professional manner in which they handled this very serious and very delicate matter.”

“The FBI is committed to the safety and well-being of our community members, especially minors who unsuspectingly become associated with online predators and are victimized through betrayal and exploitation,” Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Stanley M. Meador said today. “FBI Richmond will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to identify, investigate and prosecute these criminals and provide appropriate resources for the victims. If you know of or suspect someone has inappropriate contact with a minor, please report it to law enforcement immediately.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lee County Sheriff’s Department, and Virginia Department of Social Services investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case.