Liam Heim, 22, of St. Petersburg, Florida, was charged today by indictment with traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and transportation of a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity, announced United States Attorney William M. McSwain. The indictment alleges that Heim committed each offense on March 29, 2018.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 1ife imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of ten years’ imprisonment, supervised release for a minimum term of five years and a lifetime maximum term, a $500,000 dollar fine, mandatory restitution, and a maximum $10,200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia Airport Police, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, and Collingswood Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Schlessinger.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
