A former FBI electronics technician was sentenced last week to 20 years in federal prison having previously been found guilty after a jury trial on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, two counts of receipt of child pornography, and three counts of transferring obscene material on an individual under the age of 16.
According to evidence presented at trial, between June 2020 and April 27, 2021, Justin Carroll, who was employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as an electronics technician, engaged in sexually explicit chats and exchanged sexually explicit images with three fourteen-year-old females over various social media platforms after connecting with the minors on chatting websites.
Carroll’s conduct was discovered after one of the victims mailed a Valentine’s Day package to the FBI office. Sexually explicit images of the minor females were found in Carroll’s social media accounts and on his cell phone.
Images of Carroll were found in one of the minors’ social media accounts and on another minor’s cell phone.
Carroll continued communicating with the fourteen-year-old victim who mailed the package, even after receiving an e-mail from her mother inquiring why her daughter mailed him a package and advising him of her daughter’s age.
“When someone in law enforcement dishonours their responsibilities by committing criminal acts, we will seek the most serious penalties in order to restore the public’s trust,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Justin Carroll dishonoured the men and women of the FBI by his deplorable actions, and now, thanks to the prosecution team and our law enforcement partners, he faces the consequences of those actions.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores that no matter who you are, you will be brought to justice if you are found guilty of such criminal behaviour,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to protect children from exploitation and hold accountable those who exploit or endanger them.”
“HSI is committed to justice by working with our law enforcement partners to hold anyone accountable for misconduct, reaffirming our dedication to upholding the trust the American people place in us daily,” said Homeland Security Investigations Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “We will pursue these investigations vigorously as it is paramount that we maintain the trust and integrity of those we swore an oath to protect.”
Following his term of incarceration, Carroll will be on supervised release for 10 years.
