A federal grand jury has indicted William Foster Alger, a 75-year-old resident of Hagerstown, Maryland. The indictment includes seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of coercion and enticement of a child, and five counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
The announcement was made by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Colonel Paul Joey Kifer, Chief of Police at the Hagerstown Police Department (HPD), and Washington County State’s Attorney Gina Cirincion.
According to the indictment details, between November 2023 and December 2024, Alger allegedly persuaded three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct for producing and transmitting child sexual abuse material. He is also accused of enticing these minors into prohibited sexual conduct and possessing such material on an internet-based account and four digital devices.
If found guilty, Alger faces severe penalties: a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years up to 30 years for each count related to sexual exploitation; a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life imprisonment for each count involving coercion and enticement; and up to 20 years for each count concerning possession.
Sentences in federal cases are generally less than the maximum penalties due to various considerations taken by a federal district court judge under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
It is important to note that an indictment does not equate to guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court proceedings.
This case forms part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. This project coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders while identifying victims.
U.S. Attorney Barron expressed gratitude towards HSI, HPD, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office for their investigative work. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow will be prosecuting this case federally.
For further information on Project Safe Childhood or Internet safety education resources provided by the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office visit www.justice.gov/psc or www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach respectively.
