PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment right now charging a Hawaii man with sexually abusing two kids and sharing video recordings of the abuse with others on-line.
Benjamin Victor Houghton, 27, of Captain Prepare dinner, Hawaii, has been charged with three counts of utilizing a minor to supply a visible depiction of sexually specific conduct and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse.
In accordance with the indictment, Houghton is accused of sexually abusing two kids below the age of 12 on three separate events, video recording the abuse, and sharing movies of the abuse on-line. On two of the three events, Houghton can be alleged to have knowingly crossed state traces, into Oregon, for the aim of abusing the youngsters.
On February 24, 2023, Houghton was arrested within the District of Hawaii and made his first look in federal court docket in Honolulu. He was ordered detained pending switch to the District of Oregon.
Utilizing a minor to supply a visible depiction of sexually specific conduct is punishable by as much as 30 years in federal jail with a 15-year obligatory minimal sentence. Aggravated sexual abuse is punishable by as much as life in federal jail with a 30-year obligatory minimal sentence.
This case was investigated collectively by the FBI Portland and Honolulu Subject Places of work and Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) in Portland. It’s being prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Lawyer for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is barely an accusation of a criminal offense, and a defendant is presumed harmless until and till confirmed responsible.
Anybody who has details about the bodily or on-line exploitation of kids are inspired to name the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip on-line at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, lots of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and native regulation enforcement companies. CETF is dedicated to finding and arresting those that prey on kids in addition to recovering and helping victims of intercourse trafficking and little one exploitation.
This case was introduced as a part of Mission Secure Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in Might 2006 by the Justice Division to fight the rising epidemic of kid sexual exploitation and abuse. For extra details about Mission Secure Childhood, please go to www.justice.gov/psc.