Jason Speed, a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, has received a 292-month prison sentence, followed by 15 years of supervised release. This follows his involvement in the solicitation and production of child sexual abuse material, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
Court documents reveal that from January 2020 through February 2024, Speed, aged 42, engaged in solicitations over the internet for child pornography production. During this period, Speed had an online relationship with an adult woman in the Philippines. In exchange for money, Speed directed her to produce material featuring minors under 12 years old. Through collaboration with the FBI’s International Operations division, local authorities managed to rescue the minor victims involved.
"Child predators are conniving, creative, and profoundly dangerous. Speed lived in our community and lurked in the dark corners of the internet. From his perch in St. Paul, Speed victimized little children halfway around the world," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. "While I am appalled at Speed’s predation, I am extraordinarily proud of the above-and-beyond efforts of law enforcement in this case. Because of the heroic efforts of the FBI and AUSA Will Mattessich, the young victims in the Philippines were rescued from a life of sexual torture."
Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis added, "Speed's actions were calculated, exploitative, and deeply disturbing. He knowingly financed and directed the creation of content that victimized innocent children. The FBI, in close coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who exploit minors. We remain unyielding in our commitment to identifying offenders, dismantling these networks of abuse, and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice."
Speed pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the production of child pornography. He faced sentencing in U.S. District Court from Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan, who remarked, "What happened to the two minor children is appalling and it is horrific."
The investigation was a collaborative effort by the FBI, the Maplewood Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to address the growing issue of child sexual exploitation and abuse. This program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich was responsible for prosecuting the case.
