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Samuel Charles Hardeman, 55, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for the attempted coercion and enticement of a minor after being busted by an undercover police officer, who purported to have a 10-year-old daughter the convict was interested in.
Prosecutors say that in December 2022, Hardeman engaged in illicit conversations with an undercover agent, during which, he expressed a desire to have sex with the child, sent a video containing child porn, and made plans to drive to New York, where he believed the girl to live.
Hardeman communicated with the officer by phone, including a video call, text, and using encrypted messaging platforms, according to his guilty plea, all while he was still on the Sex Offender Registry for a previous conviction on a similar crime.
In March, investigators executed a search warrant at Hardeman's Maryland home, leading to the seizure of several devices that led to the messages he shared with the undercover officer, as well as some other grim things.
Further investigation led to additional images of child sex abuse material, including beastiality.
The Easton resident had a previous federal conviction for a 2002 case in Georgia for using a computer to entice a child to engage in sexual activity, for which he was sentenced to 174 months in prison.
A judge also ordered that upon his release from prison, Hardeman must continue to register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or studies. He must also serve a lifetime of supervised release.
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