A Maryland man faces federal charges for allegedly attempting to engage in sexual acts with a minor, after being indicted by a federal grand jury. Nathaniel Lamar Nelson Scott, 35, from Bowie, is accused of traveling to Washington, D.C. with the intent to abuse a six-year-old child, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
Details provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office indicate that Scott was caught in a sting operation after responding to an online ad placed by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. He reportedly believed he was communicating with the child’s father, leading to his arrest on June 5, 2024, when he arrived at a location in D.C. for the purported meeting.
The investigation was part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at targeting internet predators. The FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, comprises members from both the FBI's Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was instrumental in the operation that led to Scott's indictment.
Scott faces a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment if convicted for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, a crime with sentences set by Congress. As the indictment was unsealed, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves highlighted the gravity of such offenses, noting that any eventual sentence will be decided by the Court, with due consideration to the advisory Sentencing Guides and other statutory factors.
