LOUISVILLE MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR USING THE INTERNET TO ENTICE A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL TO ENGAGE IN STATUTORY RAPE
– Arranged for her to fly from Ohio

LOUISVILLE, KY - Craig Nea Stover, age 60, of Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after having pled guilty to two charges of violating federal child exploitation laws U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky announced today. The charges included using the Internet to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity for which a person can be charged with a criminal offense as well as attempting to transport that same minor from Ohio to Kentucky in order to engage in the same sexual activity. Charles R. Simpson, III, Judge, United States District Court, also sentenced Stover to 10 years supervised release following incarceration. There is no parole in the federal judicial system.

During the internet chat with a policeman, Stover specifically requested that he and the 14-year-old girl engage in various sexual relations including oral and vaginal sex, both in and out of his hot tub.

On January 8, 2008, Stover pled guilty to the two charges against him. He admitted that between February 8, 2007, and May 23, 2007, Stover knowingly used the Internet to attempt to communicate with a person who had not reached the age of 18 to persuade, induce, or entice the minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Stover believed the person to be a 14-year-old girl, when in fact it was an undercover police officer. If the sexual activity had occurred, Stover could have been charged with a criminal offense under Kentucky law, specifically, third degree rape, in violation of K.R.S. § 510.060(b). He also admitted that during May 2007, he attempted to transport the same 14-year-old girl referenced above from Ohio to Kentucky. Stover did so with the intent that the girl engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, specifically, third degree rape, in violation of K.R.S. § 510.060(b). The undercover police officer represented the girl's age to be 14. Stover engaged in all of this conduct from his home in Jefferson County, Kentucky.

According to an affidavit previously filed in support of a criminal complaint and arrest warrant, law enforcement officials became aware of Stover’s criminal conduct as the result of Stover “chatting” on the Internet with an undercover New Waterford, Ohio, policeman. Stover chatted with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl as well as her father. As their communications progressed, Stover eventually offered to, and actually bought, a plane ticket for the girl to fly from Ohio to Kentucky.

The on-line communications reveal that Stover advised the officer posing as the “father” that he was interested in having sexual relations with the 14-year-old girl. After the officer introduced his "daughter" to Stover, Stover continued the on-line and telephonic communications with the “father” as well as the “daughter” up to and including May 23, 2007. During the communications (including on-line chats), Stover revealed his name was Craig, stated he was 45 years old and indicated that he lived at 1104 Sir Lancelot Lane, Louisville, Kentucky, 40222 and provided his telephone number. Using the Internet, Stover sent digital photographs of himself to the “father” and “daughter,” including pictures of his face and naked, semi-erect penis and asked for photographs from the “daughter” who responded by sending one photograph - fully clothed.

During the on-line communications, Stover made plans with the “father” and “daughter” to have an in-person meeting with the “daughter” to have sexual intercourse with the girl. The three agreed that she could fly to Louisville, Kentucky, on May 24, 2007. Stover, using the same screen name as the one he had used during the communications with the undercover officer, purchased an airline ticket in the girl’s name. Stover used his VISA card to purchase the ticket.

During the on-line communications, Stover specifically requested that the two engage in various sexual relations including oral and vaginal sex, both in and out of his hot tub. Stover also asked the "father" if the girl was interested in having sex with an older man. During one such chat, Stover asked the “father” if the girl could get pregnant. After the "father" suggested that it was possible, Stover indicated that he had had a vasectomy and asked if it would be O.K. to ejaculate into the girl’s vagina. During several communications, Stover asked the “father” to send him videos of the 14-year-old girl in the nude and of her having sexual intercourse with other men.

During communications involving finalizing plans to meet the girl at the Louisville Airport, Stover stated he would be holding a teddy bear and would meet her at the checkpoint area on the inside of the airport where arriving passengers walk through. On May 24, 2007, Stover walked directly to the monitor displaying the arriving flights where arriving passengers enter the main terminal area. An FBI agent immediately approached Stover, identified himself as an FBI Agent, and placed Stover under arrest. The FBI agent advised Stover of his constitutional rights, and asked for consent to search his vehicle, to which Stover agreed. During the initial search of Stover, a brown teddy bear was located in a white plastic bag which Stover was holding at the time of his arrest. Also, Stover was holding a US Airways travel confirmation with flight information for the 14-year-old girl in his hand. Agents also recovered the VISA card used to purchase the girl's plane ticket from Stover.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with significant assistance from the Kentucky State Police and New Waterford (Ohio) Police Department.

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