Source: United States Department of Justice News
CINCINNATI – A federal jury convicted a registered sex offender on all counts following a four-day trial in Cincinnati.
Nicholas J. Veerkamp, 30, of Colerain Township, Ohio, sexually exploited a 9-year-old victim and a 12-year-old victim and kept images of the exploitation.
The verdict was announced yesterday evening following a trial that began on Oct. 24 before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in August 2017, Veerkamp sexually exploited a 12-year-old victim to create three images of child pornography.
In October 2017, Veerkamp sexually exploited a 9-year-old child for the purpose of making child pornography. Veerkamp created 19 images of the victim, including images in which he exposed the child’s genitals while the victim slept.
The defendant also possessed other images of minor females on his electronic devices.
Veerkamp was convicted of sexual imposition in 2016, and as a result, was required to register as a sex offender.
Sexually exploiting a minor is a federal crime punishable by a range of 15 to 30 years in prison. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Committing a felony offense involving a minor while registered as a sex offender mandates an additional 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey’s Regional Electronics Crimes Investigations unit and other members of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children task force, announced the verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Jennifer K. Weinhold are representing the United States in this case.
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