CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Calvin Nesmith, 28, of Rockport, has been arrested on charges of coercion or enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Nesmith was arrested today upon the filing of a criminal complaint. He is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge B. Janice Ellington.
The criminal complaint alleges Nesmith was communicating with a person he believed was the mother of two minor female children. In reality, he was actually talking to an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent from Laredo. During the course of the communications, Nesmith allegedly made arrangements to meet and engage in sexual activity with the mother’s minor female children. The complaint further alleges Nesmith also sent sexually explicit photographs depicting images of child pornography through text messages and emails to the undercover agent.
He was apprehended today as he arrived at the designated meeting place. At the time of his arrest, the complaint alleges he had several electronic devices and condoms with him.
The charges against Nesmith were the result of an investigation conducted by HSI with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
