Former Journalist Pleads Guilty to Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material
Former Journalist Pleads Guilty to Transportation and Possession of ... Department of Justice
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Former Journalist Pleads Guilty to Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material
A former journalist pleaded guilty today to transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, while visiting South Carolina in February 2020, James Gordon Meek, 53, of Arlington, Virginia, used an online messaging platform on his iPhone to send and receive images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to discuss his sexual interest in children. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12, including an infant being raped. Meek brought the iPhone containing the child sexual abuse material back with him when he returned to Virginia.
Sentencing and Penalties
Meek is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Announcement by Officials
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Investigation by Task Force
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department.
Prosecution Team
Trial Attorney Whitney Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children | Indicator 16.2.3: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age group, and form of exploitation |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres | Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age group |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies | Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of yearly income earned in country of destination |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The issue of transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material is connected to SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
The article mentions the sexual exploitation of minors, including prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12. This issue is connected to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
The article mentions the investigation of the case by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which involves federal agents, other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. This issue is connected to SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequalities within and among countries.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children
The article highlights the transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material, which falls under the target of ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children.
Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres
Although not explicitly mentioned in the article, the sexual exploitation of minors, including prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12, involves violence against girls.
Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
The involvement of federal agents and detectives from different regions in the investigation of the case relates to the target of facilitating safe and responsible migration and mobility of people.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Indicator 16.2.3: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age group, and form of exploitation
The article mentions the transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material, which is a form of exploitation. The number of victims involved in this case can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children.
Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age group
Although not explicitly mentioned in the article, the sexual exploitation of minors involves violence against girls. The proportion of girls subjected to such violence can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards eliminating violence against women and girls.
Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of yearly income earned in country of destination
The involvement of federal agents and detectives from different regions in the investigation of the case implies the movement of people across regions. The recruitment cost borne by these individuals can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards facilitating safe and responsible migration and mobility of people.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children | Indicator 16.2.3: Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age group, and form of exploitation |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres | Indicator 5.2.1: Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age group |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies | Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of yearly income earned in country of destination |
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Source: justice.gov
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