U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Paul Creighton, a 67-year-old Canadian national from Ontario, to life in federal prison. The sentencing follows Creighton's guilty plea on August 19, 2024, for producing child sexual abuse material and enticing a minor.
Court documents and evidence presented during the sentencing revealed that between 2012 and 2017, Creighton coerced minors across the United States, including in Florida, Virginia, Georgia, and California, to create explicit images and videos. One victim was a 14-year-old girl from Osceola County who was manipulated by Creighton through social media. After the victim confided in a friend about her interactions with Creighton in April 2017, law enforcement was notified.
Following this discovery, Creighton instructed the victim to erase evidence of their communications and threatened to distribute her images if she ceased contact with him. In October 2017, FBI agents seized electronic devices from Creighton that contained photographs of the minor victim and searches related to other minors across the U.S.
On October 24, 2017, while Creighton traveled from Toronto to Washington D.C., authorities executed a search warrant at his Ontario residence. This operation led to the recovery of hundreds of images depicting child sexual abuse.
Creighton faced indictment in 2018 and was detained by Canadian authorities on November 12, 2020. He was extradited to the United States on February 8, 2024.
FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor stated: "The life sentence will guarantee no other child falls victim to this man’s horrific abuse." He praised the dedication of special agents involved in ensuring justice for victims.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Tampa Field Office with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and Niagara Regional Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs played a crucial role in securing Creighton's arrest and extradition. Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes prosecuted the case.
