A Hawaii Resident Receives Significant Prison Sentence for Child Pornography Distribution
In a decisive move by the courts in Honolulu, a local man has been handed a lengthy prison sentence following his involvement in the distribution of child pornography. Casey Young, a 40-year-old from Kaneohe, faced justice on July 10, 2024, when he was sentenced to over 15 years (188 months) in prison. Further to his prison term, Young is mandated to live under supervised release for the rest of his life, a condition that includes being registered as a sex offender.
[INSERTIMAGE]The sentencing follows Young’s guilty plea on December 14, 2023, admitting to his reprehensible crimes. Investigations into Young’s activities revealed a disturbing reality; beginning at least in January 2023, he was deeply immersed in a digital underworld facilitated by end-to-end encrypted messaging applications. It was through these platforms, accessible via his cell phone and other digital devices, that Young engaged in his criminal activities.
Young’s involvement extended across numerous groups dedicated to the illegal exchange of images and videos depicting child exploitation. Employing an anonymous pseudonym, he was found to be a participant in over 75 such groups at the time of his arrest in September 2023. These groups catered to various explicit themes, indiscriminate of age or gender, thereby showcasing the extensive and diverse nature of this digital network of exploitation.
Admission into these sinister groups typically required a newcomer to be vetted by the group’s moderator. This vetting process involved the participant sharing at least two images or videos that aligned with the group’s specific theme. Moderators, like Young, who oversaw more than a dozen groups, wielded significant control, with responsibilities that extended to vetting new members, adding them to the group, and ensuring continuous participation under the threat of removal for inactivity. Young didn’t stop at moderating; he was also discovered to have downloaded thousands of incriminating files onto his personal devices.
Further damning evidence came to light when an undercover FBI agent encountered Young actively distributing child pornography content in two groups during the months of January and March 2023. Such actions underscore the persistent dangers and exploitative potentials that lurk within social media and encrypted applications.
The sentencing was highlighted by remarks from both the U.S. Attorney and the FBI’s lead investigator in Hawaii. Emphasizing the gravity of the offense, U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors pointed out the severe implications of exploiting children through social media and digital storage mediums. She affirmed that the law mandates stringent penalties for such acts of sexual exploitation of minors, underscoring the appropriateness of Young’s punishment.
“This sentence should serve notice to others that the FBI does not tolerate those who prey on our children,” announced FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. He assured that the FBI prioritizes the identification and prosecution of child predators, committing to exhaustive measures to ensure justice is served.
This case was brought to a close through the concerted efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Perlmutter spearheading the prosecution. It serves as a poignant reminder and stern warning against the misuse of digital platforms for the exploitation of the most vulnerable—the children.
