Peter D. Leary, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia
A Harris County resident and a former Fort Moore contractor have been sentenced to federal prison following investigations by Project Safe Childhood. Patrick John Irvine, 22, of Shiloh, Georgia, received a sentence of 120 months in prison followed by ten years of supervised release. Irvine pleaded guilty to transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Terric Taylor, 28, from Fortson, Georgia, was sentenced to 97 months in prison and will also undergo ten years of supervised release. Taylor admitted guilt to possessing child pornography. Both men must register as sex offenders upon their release.
U.S. District Judge Clay Land presided over both cases. "Our office has zero tolerance for people who prey on children," stated Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker.
The FBI continues its commitment to holding offenders accountable with a victim-centered approach. "These cases show how local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are working together," said Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley.
In the Irvine case, he met a 12-year-old girl via Snapchat and later drove her from Alabama to Georgia after they communicated for several weeks. The girl's family reported her missing when she did not return home.
Taylor's case began with a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography uploaded by user "strayBreeders04." Investigations led to Taylor's arrest after agents found multiple files of child sexual abuse material on his phone.
Project Safe Childhood aims to combat child exploitation through collaboration between various levels of law enforcement and community partners.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals prosecuted these cases for the government.