A New Mexico resident has been sentenced to over 27 years in prison for his involvement in online child sexual exploitation activities. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples announced the sentencing of Wesley Alan Crownover, II, aged 37, by U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco.
Crownover received a sentence of 330 months imprisonment followed by a life term of supervised release after pleading guilty in August 2023 to charges of advertising and selling child pornography. These convictions necessitate his registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The plea agreement detailed Crownover's participation in ten online groups with users interested in children sexually. He marketed his collection of thousands of images and videos within these groups. An FBI undercover agent contacted him through one group, leading to Crownover selling 30 videos containing child sexual abuse material for $25.
Federal authorities issued a complaint and arrest warrant in the Northern District of Alabama, while a search warrant was obtained from the District of New Mexico for Crownover’s residence. Upon execution, Crownover was absent but fled upon seeing law enforcement at his home. He remained a fugitive for several months before being apprehended by the United States Marshals Service in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The investigation was conducted by FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with assistance from FBI Albuquerque and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Kristen Osborne prosecuted the case.
Authorities urge anyone suspecting or aware of potential child sexual exploitation to contact law enforcement immediately or file reports with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at www.cybertipline.org.
This case is 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.
