GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe for the Northern District of Florida today announced the indictment and arraignment of Dustin Lee Norman, 23, of Trenton, Florida, after a federal grand jury in Gainesville returned an indictment charging him with Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Receiving Child Pornography, Possessing Child Pornography, and Sending Interstate Transmissions of Extortionate Communications.
The indictment alleges that between Sept. 19, 2018, and Oct. 19, 2018, Norman knowingly and intentionally used, persuaded, induced, or enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. The indictment also alleges that during the same time period, Norman knowingly used a cell phone and the internet to transmit communications containing threats to injure the reputation of the minor female, who resided in the state of Washington, intending to extort images and videos of the minor female in various stages of undress, while naked, and while engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Norman faces the following penalties:
• Sexual exploitation of a child: a maximum of 30 years in prison and a 15-year mandatory minimum in prison;
• Receipt of child pornography: a maximum of 20 years in prison and a 5-year mandatory minimum in prison;
• Possession of child pornography: a maximum of 10 years in prison;
• Sending interstate transmissions of extortionate communications: a maximum of 2 years in prison.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.
Trial is scheduled for Oct. 29, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
