NASHVILLE – A Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) Nashville little one exploitation investigation led to a 24-year sentence for a former faculty nurse within the Center District of Tennessee on April 3.
A choose sentenced Leon B. Hensley, 42, to 293 months in federal jail on little one pornography fees.
Officers arrested and charged Hensley, a former nurse at Northeast Excessive College in Clarksville, in Could 2021 following an investigation into allegations that he despatched a digital picture of a nude grownup feminine to a minor feminine within the Clarksville space by way of textual content message. Hensley had been speaking with the minor feminine by textual content and requested her to assist him with a photograph shoot by posing for pictures.
“Mr. Hensley violated unsuspecting college students by unlawfully invading their privateness — through the use of his place of belief as a faculty administrator to use them,” stated HSI Nashville Particular Agent in Cost Rana Saoud. “HSI is not going to tolerate these reprehensible actions and can pursue anybody who preys on harmless victims.”
The investigation resulted in a superseding indictment being returned in June 2022 charging Hensley with 25 counts of making an attempt to provide little one pornography and engaging or coercing a minor to have interaction in sexually specific conduct for the aim of manufacturing little one pornography. Hensley pleaded responsible to all fees in September 2022, previous to a trial which was scheduled to start the identical day.
The investigation included a search of Hensley’s cellphone, the place officers found nude pictures recognized as minor feminine college students at Northeast Excessive College. A search of Hensley’s home resulted within the seizure of quite a few digital gadgets, together with a small, covert video digicam. The gadgets contained picture information depicting unidentified females in hospital rooms, airports and tanning beds, plus video information that gave the impression to be upskirt movies of grownup and minor females.
HSI discovered greater than 700 picture information of minor females in a single lavatory in numerous phases of undress and utilizing the toilet amenities. The pictures seem to have been taken by a hidden or hid digicam, positioned to seize or try and seize pictures of genitalia. The digicam was positioned immediately throughout and in entrance of the bathroom seat at bathroom seat stage. Additional investigation decided that the toilet depicted within the pictures is the personal pupil lavatory within the nurse’s station at Northeast Excessive College. Different pictures geolocate to Tennova Hospital in Clarksville, the place Hensley was employed previous to the varsity.
This case was investigated by HSI Nashville, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI and the Clarksville Police Division. Assistant U.S. Legal professional Monica Morrison prosecuted the case.
HSI encourages members of the general public to report little one exploitation crimes or suspicious exercise by calling the HSI tip line at 866-347-2423. The tip line is manned 24-hours a day.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), answerable for investigating transnational crime and threats, particularly these prison organizations that exploit the worldwide infrastructure by means of which worldwide commerce, journey, and finance transfer. HSI’s workforce of greater than 8,700 staff consists of greater than 6,000 particular brokers assigned to 237 cities all through the USA, and 93 abroad places in 56 nations. HSI’s worldwide presence represents DHS’s largest investigative legislation enforcement presence overseas and one of many largest worldwide footprints in U.S. legislation enforcement.