Illinois man sentenced to 20 years in prison for child sexual exploitation

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An Illinois man was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 20 years in prison for sexual exploiting a minor, enticing a minor, and making interstate threats, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Lewis, Central District of Illinois.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Decatur, Illinois Police Department.

Jason E. Cooper, 34, of Decatur, was sentenced Dec. 18 by U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough to 20 years in federal prison. Additionally, Cooper was ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and to register as a sexual predator for the period of his natural life. Cooper was also ordered to forfeit computer material seized as evidence.  

Cooper pleaded guilty May 8 to one count each of enticing a minor, making interstate threats, and sexually exploiting a minor. According to court documents, Cooper used social media and game sites in 2013 to initiate contact with two different minor females. Cooper then sent graphic sexual texts and emails and threats of violence to the minors and their families if his demands for information and photos of graphic sexual activity were ignored.

Cooper was indicted by a grand jury in April 2013 following his arrest; he has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson, Central District of Illinois, prosecuted the case. 

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE 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.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.