Richard Dean Hicks, a 68-year-old man from Pioneer, Louisiana, has been sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children, as well as the production of child pornography. This decision was handed down by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty after Hicks was convicted on multiple charges related to these crimes.
Hicks' sentencing includes life imprisonment for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and sex trafficking of a minor. Additionally, he received 20 years for promoting and soliciting child pornography and 30 years on each count of attempted production of child pornography. If released, he will be under lifetime supervision.
The conviction follows an investigation that began in 2012 into individuals soliciting child sex traffickers in the Philippines to share abusive material via live stream video. Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook remarked on the case's severity: "The fact that this defendant preyed upon not only underage children but ones from another country who were being sexually abused by others is appalling."
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) played a key role in uncovering Hicks' activities through international cooperation. Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune commented on the sentence: "Sometimes a life sentence doesn’t seem like enough, but we hope this brings some relief to this predator’s victims and their families."
Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New England, emphasized the importance of international efforts: "This case highlights the critical importance of international cooperation and the tireless efforts of our agents to dismantle networks that prey on innocent children."
A related arrest in Philadelphia led to another individual receiving a sentence of 228 months with lifetime supervised release. The ongoing investigation with Philippine authorities continues to target female subjects involved in these crimes.
The case involved collaboration among several agencies including HSI New Orleans, HSI New England, the Louisiana ICAC Task Force, and others. Assistant United States Attorneys Casey N. Stelly and J. Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
Anyone needing to report incidents involving child pornography can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.
