Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
BENTON, Ill. – A southern Illinois district judge sentenced a man from Arizona to spend 20 years in federal prison after he admitted to distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Benjamin D. Rumbo, 46, of Benson, Arizona, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
“We know child predators use the internet to exchange CSAM, which is why it’s critical for law enforcement officials to work in undercover capacities to detect and identify individuals scheming to abuse minors,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I’m grateful for our partnership with the FBI to apprehend and prosecute these criminals to improve public safety.”
According to court documents, an undercover agent working for the FBI created a social media account purporting to be the parent of a sexually active 10-year-old child. Rumbo had sexually explicit conversations with the undercover agent from January through April 2021 and sent several videos of CSAM.
Once law enforcement identified Rumbo as the account holder, agents obtained a search warrant on the contents of his account and uncovered 17 images and videos of child pornography.
“Protecting children is a priority for the FBI,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “This substantial sentence not only holds the subject accountable, but also serves as a deterrent to others.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Bloodworth and David Sanders prosecuted the case.