A federal jury in Miami has convicted Earl Richard Clouser, 55, of Burnham, Pennsylvania, for attempting to produce child sexual abuse material involving a minor living overseas. The verdict was reached on February 11 following a two-day trial.
Court documents and evidence presented at trial revealed that Clouser communicated online for several months with a 15-year-old girl in Cuba. Despite being aware of her age, he repeatedly requested sexually explicit videos from her and instructed her to create illegal content. Investigators said Clouser sent electronic payments to the victim in exchange for these materials.
“This defendant targeted a 15-year-old child, directed her to create sexually explicit material, and then traveled overseas to exploit her in person,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The fact that the victim lived in another country did not put her beyond the protection of U.S. law. If you use the internet or international travel to exploit a child, we will find you, prosecute you, and seek the full measure of federal punishment.”
In September 2025, Clouser traveled from the United States to Havana with plans to meet the victim for sexual activity. Before this trip, he received identification from the girl confirming she was underage but still arranged for her to stay overnight at his rental apartment.
When Clouser returned through Miami International Airport on September 19, 2025, he was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers during secondary inspection. Officials found three electronic devices containing communications with the victim as well as sexually explicit material depicting her. He was subsequently arrested.
Clouser now faces up to 30 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Hannah and Anthony Reynolds.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a national effort led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section—designed to identify and prosecute those who exploit children online as well as rescue victims (more information can be found at https://www.projectsafechildhood.gov). Additional court records are available on the Southern District of Florida website (https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov) or via PACER (http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov) under case number 25-cr-20444.
