Defendant Faces Up to Life in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice Minor Boy to Engage in Sexual Activity
DALLAS - Following a one and one-half day trial before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle, and less than three hours of deliberation, a federal jury has convicted 60-year-old Jack Marty Taylor, of Dallas, on one count of attempted enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Taylor, who had been on bond, was remanded into federal custody after the verdict. He faces a statutory penalty of not less than 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date was not set.
The government presented evidence at trial that on Sept. 16, 2014, Taylor posted a Backpage advertisement entitled, “Sugar Dad looking for his son - 50." Taylor stated he was looking for a younger guy for companionship and stated, “You must be 18-30ish…I’m looking for companionship and love." In return for that, Taylor offered to “give you a nice, safe place to live, 3 meals a day, spending money, clothing, shoes, etc."
On Sept. 17, 2014, at 12:33 p.m., a detective with the Garland Police Department, posing as a 14-year-old boy, responded to the advertisement via email. Several emails transpired in which Taylor suggested they communicate via text messaging. As the text messaging began, Taylor asked more about the boy’s age, confirmed he was a minor, where he lived, and what school he attended. Taylor almost immediately began to text the boy about meeting and what they would do when they met. Taylor exchanged numerous text messages with the boy, including sexually explicit text messages, throughout the day.
The government presented further evidence that between Sept. 17, 2014, and February 4, 2015, Taylor suggested meeting the boy in person 40 times, and each time the boy avoided meeting Taylor. In fact, after just three hours of emails and texts with the boy, and after repeatedly suggesting that the two meet, Taylor texted, “I was scared of you at first. I thought maybe you were a cop." On February 4, 2015, the day Taylor and the boy were set to meet, Taylor again asked him if he was a cop. Taylor indicated he had experience in these types of matters and advised, “That’s an important thing to ask when you’re meeting someone for the first time." Law enforcement arrested Taylor on February 4, 2015, at the agreed meeting location.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources."
The Garland Police Department and the FBI investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Burns and Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks are in charge of the prosecution.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
