Defendant sentenced for attempted child enticement and possession of child pornography

ATLANTA – Jeffrey E. Roberts was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography.

“Through their constant vigilance, our federal and state law enforcement partners have stopped yet another individual who attempted to prey on a minor through the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “Those who target children should know they will be exposed and prosecuted.”

“It is fortunate that Roberts’s predatory efforts connected him to an undercover agent and not an innocent child,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The lengthy prison sentence he received reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the threat he posed to the community.”

“This conviction illustrates the great work of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute crimes against children,” said Director Vernon Keenan of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.  “The GBI is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners in pursuing those who use the internet to prey upon and exploit child victims.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court:  On May 4, 2017, Roberts was arrested after he corresponded with an undercover agent regarding a planned sexual encounter with an adolescent female.  The investigation began on April 20, 2017 when Roberts responded to an ad posted on Craigslist.

In subsequent communications, Roberts claimed he had experience with sexual encounters with children and made plans to meet the fictitious adolescent.  On May 4, 2017, Roberts travelled to meet the minor child for the planned sexual encounter.  A laptop computer, which Roberts brought with him to the encounter, was seized at the time of his arrest and later found to contain child pornography.

Jeffrey E. Roberts, 48, of Woodstock, Georgia was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on May 16, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen.  Roberts was convicted on these charges on February 14, 2018, after he entered a guilty plea.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Morris prosecuted the case.

To report information regarding child sexual exploitation, including child pornography or online enticement of children for sex acts, please contact the CybertipLine at www.cybertipline.com (link is external) or by calling 1-800-843-5678.