Charles Anthony Forame, IV, age 33, from Brooklyn Park, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to child sexual exploitation. The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with several law enforcement officials from the FBI and state and local agencies.
According to court documents, Forame used Snapchat to contact teenage girls online. He pretended to be 19 years old in order to interact with them and then coerced them into sending explicit images or engaging in sexual acts in person. In some cases, he offered vapes or marijuana as incentives for explicit images or sex acts. When victims tried to end their interactions with him, Forame threatened to expose their images. The victims were between 13 and 16 years old and attended middle school or high school.
Forame is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and could receive up to 30 years in federal prison. He may also be subject to lifetime supervised release after his prison term. Sentencing is scheduled for November 24 at 9:30 a.m.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 that focuses on combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local authorities. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes stated: "U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case."
Information about community resources and priorities from the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office can be accessed at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
