Source: US FBI
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Shelby County man has been sentenced for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Justin Warren Lindstrom, 43, of Sterrett, Alabama, to 120 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In April, Lindstrom pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. This conviction will require Lindstrom to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts or our dedicated law enforcement partners and prosecutors, we have removed yet another child predator from our community,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Today’s sentence ensures he can no longer pose a threat to our most vulnerable – our children. My office remains committed to protecting children and holding those who seek to harm them fully accountable.”
“This sentencing confirms that the FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to protect our children from predators who seek to exploit them,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Birmingham. “Together, we have ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.”
According to the plea agreement, in November 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl posted an advertisement on a social media application. On November 15, 2023, Lindstrom arrived at a park in Vestavia Hills to engage in a sexual act with a minor. Vestavia Hills police officers conducted a traffic stop and arrested Lindstrom. After obtaining a search warrant, agents later located child pornography in one of Lindstrom’s email accounts.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Vestavia Hills Police Department and the Homewood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.