Last Updated on October 7, 2021 5:27 pm
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced FrankDarrell Cromwell, 25, of Boone, N.C., to 25 years in prison for producing child pornography,announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.Cromwell was also ordered to pay special assessments in the amount of $55,100, to serve alifetime of supervised release, and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and SouthCarolina, and Chief Andy LeBeau of the Boone Police Department, join Acting U.S. AttorneyStetzer in making today’s announcement.According to court records and today’s hearing, between December 2018 and February2019, Cromwell used Snapchat to convince multiple minor victims that Cromwell was a female,and to communicate with the minors. During the relevant time period, Cromwell induced andsometimes coerced the minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct and to send explicitimages and videos to Cromwell.“Technology misused by predators like Cromwell can impact the safety and well-being ofchildren everywhere,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer. “It is important – now more than ever –to have conversations with children about the dangers that lurk on the internet, and remind themthat things, and people, online are not always what they seem. I want to thank our lawenforcement partners for their investigation of this case, and all they do to help us protectchildren.”“Cases like this should put predators on notice that they cannot use the internet to hidefrom justice, because we will use all of our resources to find you and hold you accountable,” saidSpecial Agent In Charge Martinez. “HSI along with its partners will continue to combat thisheinous crime, but we need everyone to be vigilant and monitor what our children do online aswell as who they interact with.”In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer commended HSI and theBoone Police Department for their investigation the case and thanked the North Carolina StateBureau of Investigation for their invaluable assistance.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cortney Randall and Stephanie Spaugh prosecuted the case.The case was were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative tocombat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 bythe Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s ChildExploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state andlocal resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via theInternet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project SafeChildhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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