Orlando, Florida - U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Thomas Rowland (51, Pennsylvania) to 25 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Rowland had pleaded guilty on Aug. 29, 2019.
According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Rowland engaged in conversations with an undercover (“UC") agent on a “dark web" website. Over the course of several conversations, Rowland discussed plans to travel to Florida and videotape his rape of the UC’s fictional 13-year old daughter. Rowland was very specific in his requests, including asking for the “child’s" body measurements so that he could buy “sexy outfits" for her to wear during his sexual encounters with her.
Throughout their conversations, Rowland kept in touch with the UC and maintained his desire to fly to Florida to have sex with the “child." Rowland also stated that he was bringing sexual devices to use on the “child."
On June 21, 2019, Rowland arrived at the Orlando International Airport and was subsequently arrested. Inside Rowland’s luggage, law enforcement officers found sex toys and “sexy outfits," along with other paraphernalia for use in sexual activity.
“This child predator thought he was going to travel into our local communities to sexually abuse a child," said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David J. Pezzutti. “Instead, he was met by HSI special agents and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputies and now he is being held accountable for his crimes."
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sean P. Shecter and Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
