James Patrick Burns, a 55-year-old man from Sparks, Nevada, was sentenced to 65 years in prison for sexually exploiting multiple minors and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). His offenses also come with lifetime supervised release and fines totaling over $100,000. Burns coerced minors into producing CSAM, which he then posted on dark web forums.
Between 2018 and 2021, Burns used platforms like Omegle, Snapchat, TikTok, and Mega to manipulate and threaten over 100 minors. His actions were uncovered when a victim’s mother discovered threats on her child’s phone and reported them to law enforcement. Burns was found to be the most prolific creator of illegal content during that time.
Burns, already a registered sex offender, was convicted on multiple counts of sexual exploitation, coercion, and distribution of child pornography. A federal jury found him guilty on eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and other serious charges, including advertising, receiving, and distributing child pornography.
The case was investigated by an FBI-led task force with assistance from various law enforcement agencies across the country. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Reference:
