Baltimore Man Convicted of Traveling from Maryland to D.C. to Have Sex with 13-Year-Old Child

WASHINGTON—Calvin Allen, 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty today to a charge of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Allen appeared today before the Honorable Judge Reggie B. Walton in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for May 24, 2011.

According to a factual proffer of evidence presented during today's court proceeding, on November 10, 2010, an MPD member of the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who was operating undercover and posing as a pedophile as part of the investigation, communicated with the defendant by e-mail and instant messenger.

During the course of the communication, Allen expressed interest in meeting an underaged boy and engaging in sexual contact with the child. Later that same day, Allen traveled from Baltimore to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. He was then arrested.

This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the Metropolitan Police Department.

In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director McJunkin, and Chief Lanier commended MPD Detectives Timothy Palchak, Miguel Miranda, Jonathan Andrews, and Morani Hines, as well as the entire FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Kent, who is prosecuting this case.