Covington, Ky. -U.S. District Court Judge David L. Bunning sentenced an Ohio man to 51 months in prison today for Traveling with the Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Contact.

Paul Westwood, 46, of Monroe, Ohio, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and 20 years supervised release. Westwood admitted to engaging in an on-line chat with an individual he believed to be a 13 year old girl. On April 14, 2007, he traveled from Ohio to Kentucky in order to engage in sexual activity with this individual.

This was the final sentencing in an operation that resulted in the successful prosecution of seven individuals in federal court. Dennis M. Wissel, 45, of Reading, Ohio, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and lifetime supervised release. Donny Joe Emmert, 30, of Groveport, Ohio, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and lifetime supervised release. James Clifford Rauch, 59, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and lifetime supervised release. Richard Springmeier, 49, of Loveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and supervised release for a period of 20 years. Timothy L. Kyne, 42, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and supervised release for a period of 20 years. Matthew R. Barlow, 25, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and supervised release for a period of 8 years. All of the individuals convicted in federal court will not be eligible for parole and will have to serve at least 85% of their sentences.
Each of these individuals admitted traveling into Highland Heights, Kentucky in order to have illegal sexual contact with an individual they believed to be a 13 year old minor. However, instead of meeting the 13 year old children they expected, each was arrested by police officers at the meeting location since the targeted youth was actually an adult working in a cooperative capacity with the investigating agencies.

5 additional individuals have been prosecuted in state court in Campbell County, Kentucky as part of this operation. These individuals engaged in similar behavior within Kentucky but did not cross state lines. 4 men have been convicted in state court. The average sentence imposed there has been 5 years in prison. One individual charged in state court is set to go to trial this month. The individuals convicted in state court will be eligible for parole after serving 20% of their sentences.

The investigation was conducted by a joint effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation, the Campbell County Police Department, the Highland Heights Police Department, and Jack L. Porter, Jr., the Campbell County Commonwealth's Attorney. The United States was represented in the federal cases by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony J. Bracke. The Commonwealth of Kentucky was represented in the state cases by Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Michelle Snodgrass.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys 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.

James A Zerhusen, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Tracy A. Reinhold, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly made the announcement today after the sentencing.

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