FBI seeking to identify other potential victims
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A man was arrested early Saturday morning in Anchorage on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement with attempted enticement of a minor, attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography depicting a minor under 12 years of age.
According to court documents, Benjamin Roundy, aka “Aleks” or “Alekzander Marko”, 41, of Anchorage, attempted to produce child pornography and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit actions through communications on a messaging app and text messages. He is also charged with allegedly possessing child pornography on his cell phone.
Roundy is charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b), attempted production of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2251(a), and possession of child pornography depicting minors who have not attained 12 years of age in violation with 18 U.S.C. §2252A(a)(5)(b) and (7)(b)(2). If convicted, Roundy faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum life term in prison following conviction on all counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska; and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is actively investigating the case. If anyone has any information concerning Roundy’s alleged actions or may have encountered someone using the name “Aleks” in person, via text message or on an online messaging app, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously online at tips.fbi.gov.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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