Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
Joseph Gunter, a 41-year-old resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles E. Fleming. This follows his guilty plea in February for driving over 1,600 miles from New Mexico to Ohio with the intent to sexually exploit a child and transporting a minor for unlawful sexual activity. In addition to his prison sentence, Gunter is required to serve lifetime supervised release post-imprisonment and pay $5,000 in restitution under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act established in 2018. He must also pay $10,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
Court documents reveal that on September 21, 2023, local authorities in Ashtabula County reported a missing 12-year-old girl. A witness interview disclosed that she had been communicating with someone from Albuquerque identified as Gunter. Through collaborative efforts among state, local, and federal agencies, Gunter's vehicle was found in Gray County, Texas during a traffic stop where officers discovered the victim inside along with two firearms.
Investigators learned through an original complaint that Gunter had been using Twitter to communicate with the victim for several months. Despite her attempt to cease contact by deleting her account and creating a new one later on, he managed to reconnect with her. The victim recounted being threatened at gunpoint by Gunter while out walking before being coerced into his vehicle and taken out of state where she suffered physical assault and repeated rape at various hotels during their journey back to New Mexico.
The investigation involved multiple FBI divisions including Cleveland Division as well as offices from Albuquerque, Dallas Chicago Little Rock alongside Gray County (Texas) Sheriff's Office plus Ashtabula (Ohio) County Sheriff's Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A Kane Michael Sullivan prosecuted this case.
For reporting child exploitation visit cybertipline.org or call 1-800-843-5678 available round-the-clock every day.
The U.S Attorney’s Office Northern District Ohio covers northernmost counties housing nearly six million people operating main headquarters Cleveland additional branches Akron Toledo Youngstown serving chief federal law enforcement officer district overseeing prosecution federal crimes protecting victims' rights.
