A Jefferson County man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the sexual abuse of two minors and recording that abuse. Benjamin F. Sexton Jr., 48, admitted in federal court on Friday to one count each of production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, the investigation began in 2023 when the grandfather of one victim found explicit communications between his granddaughter and Sexton. The victim told investigators that Sexton had sexually abused her from ages 7 to 14 and recorded some incidents. Sexton also admitted to soliciting sexual images from her through Snapchat and providing her with methamphetamine.
A second victim reported that Sexton abused her several times when she was 15 years old. Investigators discovered images of this teen in Sexton's Google account.
Sexton is set for sentencing on December 2. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson will recommend a prison sentence of 27 years.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anderson is prosecuting.
"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc."
