Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TRAVIS M. WILLIAMS, 34, of Norwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on more than 100 occasions, Williams engaged in sexual acts with a child who was approximately 9 years old. He recorded some of these acts on his iPhone. Specifically, on July 21, 2019, Williams photographed himself sexually abusing the child. He subsequently sent the photographs to an adult female via text message. On July 27, 2019, Williams filmed 10 videos depicting him sexually abusing the child.
Investigators recovered numerous text messages between Williams and the adult female in July 2019. In certain text messages, Williams told the adult female that he wanted to engage in sexual acts with her while the child watched, and that he wanted the child to take part in these sexual acts.
Williams pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of distribution of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for Jan. 24, 2022.
Williams has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on Aug. 30, 2019.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Norwich Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda S. Oakes and Neeraj N. Patel.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle thanked the New London State’s Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
