Florida man pleads guilty to production of images of child sexual abuse, and traveling to sexually assault a minor

Tacoma – A 42-year-old New Port Ritchey, Florida, man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to production of child pornography and interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Samuel Aaron Leonard was arrested July 2, 2020, in Vancouver, Washington, just outside the home of the 14‑year-old girl he had spent months enticing online for sexual abuse. Leonard communicated with the girl on a number of social media platforms and represented to the girl that he was 20 years old. Leonard is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on April 15, 2024.

According to records filed in the case, Leonard contacted the girl via a social media platform around April 1, 2020. Over the next few months, Leonard communicated with the girl on various social media sites and sent her a cell phone so that they could communicate by text and telephone. Unbeknownst to the girl, Leonard had installed tracking and surveillance software in the phone so that he could monitor her location and read her texts and emails. Leonard turned the conversations with the girl to a sexual nature and convinced her to send various sexually explicit photos.

The girl’s guardians became aware of the communication and contacted police in late June 2020. Law enforcement immediately seized both phones that the teen had been using to communicate and had an undercover officer take over the communication. Analyzing the communications and the cell phone information, the investigation revealed that Leonard had traveled from Florida to the Vancouver area via bus and was within a short bike ride of the girl’s home. When the officer, posing as the girl, revealed that the girl’s guardian had taken the phone Leonard had sent to her, Leonard said he would get her a new one. Police surveilled Leonard as he took a newly purchased phone, hid it in a package, and tossed the package over the fence to the girl’s backyard. Leonard was arrested shortly afterwards.

A search of Leonard’s hotel room revealed that he had a number of items used to restrain someone, such as ten sets of flex cuffs and two sets of metal handcuffs, as well as duct tape and electrical tape. He also had various sex toys and lubricants. In the plea agreement Leonard admits that in 2018 he traveled to Oklahoma to sexually assault a 16-year-old. Leonard’s phone contained videos of that sexual assault.

Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison. Interstate travel to engage in sex acts with a minor is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, both prosecutors and defense will recommend a prison term of 20 years. Prosecutors will argue for a lifetime term of supervised release to follow prison. Judge Settle is not bound by the recommendations and can impose any sentence allowed by law.  Leonard will be required to register as a sex offender.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Vancouver Police Department, and Kalama Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster and Sean Waite with assistance from the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.