Georgia man arrested after traveling to Detroit for sex with a minor
DETROIT – A Georgia man, who traveled to Detroit to allegedly have sex with a 14-year-old boy, was arrested Friday afternoon following a sting operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
David Crossman, 66, of Atlanta, is charged in a criminal complaint with travel in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with another, and on charges of online enticement. He was arrested without incident at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).
For the past two months, court records indicate Crossman had been communicating online with an undercover HSI special agent, who responded to an ad Crossman had placed seeking sex with a minor. In the correspondence, Crossman allegedly described in graphic detail to the undercover special agent, posing as the father of a young boy, his plans for the minor. Crossman flew from his Atlanta home Friday to Detroit where he met up with the undercover special agent at DTW.
A team of HSI special agents arrested Crossman at the airport after his flight arrived. Crossman is being held in federal custody and will have an initial appearance Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
"We are finding more and more that state lines and international borders are clearly not a hindrance to child predators," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge, HSI Detroit. "HSI will continue to proactively seek out individuals attempting to ensnare children for their perverse sexual desires."
Online enticement carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The charge of travel in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with another is punishable by a prison term of up to 30 years.
A complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or its http://www.cybertipline.com.
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