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James Early, 40, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on Wednesday, Nov. 18, said Audrey Strauss, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The sentencing followed Early's guilty plea on November 13, 2019.
“This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them," said Strauss. "As today’s sentencing underscores, we will continue to use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish those who sexually exploit children.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings from July 2015 to March 2017, early engaged in sexually explicit communications by text with a female minor in Sullivan County.
In connection with these sexually explicit communications, Early persuaded the 15-year-old victim to engage in the sexually explicit activity, photograph, and video it, and transmit it to him via text.
The girl sent Early numerous sexually explicit photos in direct response to directions she received from him, instructing her exactly what he wanted to see her do, the court documents said.
In addition, on numerous occasions, Early sent images of his erect penis to the victim and also images of him masturbating.
He also enticed a 14-year-old Pennsylvania girl to do the same thing.
In October 2017, a search warrant of Early's residence was executed in connection with the investigation. Sexually explicit images and videos of the victim were recovered during the search, as well as hundreds of other images of child pornography.
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