A Georgia man has received a 200-month sentence in prison on Wednesday, found guilty of committing sex crimes involving a minor from Missouri. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp sentenced 46-year-old Carlan Travis Penney Jr., who had previously pleaded guilty to charges including coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual conduct, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice's official news release.
According to the prosecution, Penney met the 15-year-old girl online, exchanged nude photos with her before renting a car to drive from Georgia to Missouri to retrieve her. While trying to destroy the teen's laptop and phone to hide his tracks, Penney brought the girl back to Georgia, where the two engaged in sexual activities. The scheme unravelled when the victim’s family, missing their daughter, contacted the local sheriff's office. With the help of the FBI, the teen was found and rescued from a home owned by Penney's relatives in under a day.
Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division praised the teamwork and swift action that led to the girl's rescue. "Carlan Penney Jr. attempted to conceal his identity and cover his tracks, including destroying and discarding the victim's mobile devices. Still, the FBI found the victim’s location in Georgia within 24 hours," Crocker stated, acknowledging the crucial role of local sheriff's offices in Worth County and Crisp County, as the Department of Justice reported.
The arrest and conviction of Penney are part of Project Safe Childhood, an ongoing nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice back in May 2006 aimed at addressing the increasing problem of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project pools together resources from various law enforcement agencies to identify, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who criminally exploit children, as well as to assist the victims. For those who are interested in learning more about the initiative and their efforts can visit the DOJ’s Project Safe Childhood website for more information.
