A former soldier stationed at Fort Wainwright was sentenced  to 15 years in prison for distribution and transportation of child pornography it was announced by the US Justice Department on Friday.

US Attorney Bryan Schroder stated Friday in a press release that the investigation that resulted in the conviction of Kaleb Lee Basey, age 28, began in 2014 when Basey posted a message to Craigslist’s Casual Encounters” section that read, “any dads or moms want to share a daughter with me for the night?”

Alaska State Troopers were alerted to the posting and immediately opened an investigation, concerned that an actual minor may have been in danger. Within 24 hours, AST had identified Basey as the person who had posted the ad to  Craigslist.

The Army Criminal Investigation Division was contacted by AST  as Basey was active in the military at the time. A search of Basey’s barracks room was carried out which resulted in the FBI being called in for assistance. FBI agents uncovered additional sexually-explicit Craigslist postings as well as emails from those that responded to his ads. They also uncovered child pornography as well as imagery of him fully nude which as attached to an email.

“In addition, the defendant’s computer contained multiple contacts with minors that the defendant made through social media platforms. In his conversations with underage girls, the defendant frequently propositioned the girls for sex, or to engage in sexual acts on camera for his benefit,” DoJ reported.

The investigation would find that Basey had enticed at least one 15-year-old girl to have sex with him and a 17-year-old that he paid to have sex with him.

At sentencing, Judge Beistline stated that his “primary concern [was] protection of the public.” “You are a pedophile,” Judge Beistline said, “someone who has an interest in having sex with children.” Judge Beistline went on to say that the defendant was “not just a voyeur…you actually seek to participate in it. That sets you apart from other people I have seen in this court.”

Following his completion of prison time, Basey is required to undergo supervised release for the rest of his life.

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  basey, child pornography, conviction, department of justice, kaleb, sentencing