An Amory, Mississippi resident, Steven Gaston Colburn, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for sex trafficking of minors. Court documents state that Colburn, 70, was convicted of recruiting and paying girls under the age of 14 to engage in sexual acts in exchange for money or drugs. He also paid the minors to attend church with him. Authorities said Colburn targeted girls who came from difficult or unstable backgrounds.
During the investigation, eight victims provided statements that were considered by the court. Senior Judge Michael P. Mills handed down a sentence of 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Mills recognized the bravery of each victim.
“By incarcerating this defendant for what is functionally a life sentence, Judge Mills has ensured that no other minor will have to endure victimization at his hands,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “I would like to personally commend the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and our partners with District Attorney Jason Herring’s Office for an investigation that looks like it will result in Colburn never breathing free air again.”
Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook commented on the long-term impact of Colburn’s actions: “This individual has victimized children in our county for generations. He manipulated and abused young women until they reached their twenties and then went after their children. He has left in his wake a number of victims who now struggle with substance abuse disorder resulting from his abuse. From the time we made the arrest, our District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District worked with us to ensure Colburn was not able to get out of jail and hurt anyone else. I am grateful for the countless hours that our Investigators put into this case and to know this man’s reign of victimization is over in Monroe County.”
Attorney General Lynn Fitch highlighted law enforcement collaboration: “This case demonstrates the power of creating a statewide network of law enforcement trained in cyber forensics and dedicated to the safety of our children online,” said Fitch. “We are proud to partner with law enforcement agencies across Mississippi, including the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, through our Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. I am grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office to secure this federal sentence. The collaboration with our ICAC Task Force is precisely the kind of partnership that is necessary to protect children from abuse.”
Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office stated: “Safeguarding our society’s future begins with protecting underage youth in our communities from vile individuals like, Steven Colburn,” Eikhoff said. “Those who commit these heinous crimes against our youth, deteriorating the safety of our society, will be sought after and brought to justice. The FBI has great resolve to pursue justice for the predators who seek to exploit the youth of our communities and stands firm with the USAO and the Monroe County Sheriff's Department in protecting our most vulnerable population - our children."
The case was investigated by both the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King led prosecution efforts.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a national program focused on combating child sexual exploitation through coordination among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
