A Lehigh County man, George “Travis” Woodfield, 41, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison following convictions on charges related to child exploitation. The sentencing occurred today as per the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Woodfield's crimes include transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and accessing child pornography with intent to view. In addition to his prison term, Woodfield has been ordered to lifetime supervised release and must pay $12,000 in restitution.
According to a statement by U.S. Attorney David Metcalf, Woodfield was indicted by a federal grand jury last December and pleaded guilty in March. His heinous acts spanned years, where, driven across state lines for an overnight trip to New York City in November 2018, Woodfield sexually abused an 11-year-old child in their hotel room. Between September 2015 and July 2024, Woodfield was also accessing numerous images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
"Woodfield didn’t just view images of child sexual abuse, he sought out sex with a child,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “The sexual exploitation of children causes unthinkable harm. While prosecuting a predator like Woodfield can’t undo that damage, his prison sentence prevents him from causing further harm and provides his victim justice," as detailed in the press announcement.
The severity of Woodfield’s actions was underscored by FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs. Having been charged with ensuring the law is served, Jacobs emphasized, "The exploitation of children remains among the most heinous crimes we investigate.” He further declared that the sentence should stand as a message that predators targeting vulnerable individuals will face consequences. This case, under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, exemplifies the joint effort by federal, state, and local entities focused on curtailing the exploitation of children through improved apprehension and prosecution of offenders.
Project Safe Childhood was launched in May 2006 as a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice. It aims to address the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. More information about the initiative can be obtained from their website. Special acknowledgments were given by the Justice Department’s announcement to the FBI, Philadelphia's Allentown Resident Agency, and FBI Richmond for their investigation, as well as assistance from CEOS’s High-Tech Investigations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca J. Kulik, CEOS Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo, and CEOS Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban are recognized for their roles in the prosecution of the case.
