Virginia Beach man sentenced to life in prison for producing child pornography

NORFOLK, Va. — A 27-year-old Virginia Beach man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for enticing and conspiring with multiple women to produce child pornography and other charges, including obstruction of justice. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance provided by the Chesapeake and Virginia Beach Police Departments.

On July 14, a jury convicted Robert Harold Scott Jr. on multiple counts involving the production of child pornography and online enticement.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scott used various online personas to meet women and convinced them to work as prostitutes for parties at hotels. He never paid the women for their participation in the parties and extorted them by threatening to publish sexually explicit videos of them online. Scott was convicted in Virginia Beach Circuit Court for this scheme in May 2013.

While the state charges were pending, Scott continued this behavior. HSI special agents determined when discussing the sex parties with women, he also asked them to produce child pornography. He was very specific regarding the sex acts he wanted on camera. Five different women complied and sent sexually explicit images of children in return for the promise of money. In two instances, Scott convinced the women to bring the children to the hotel parties.

As a result of Scott’s actions, seven different children, ages 1 to 5 years old, were sexually abused. Four of these women already pleaded guilty in federal court to production of child pornography, and one of these women pleaded guilty in Chesapeake Circuit Court.

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 10,000 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 2013, 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.