BOISE – Jordan Michael Drake, 34, of Boise, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Drake to serve ten years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Drake was convicted by a jury on April 8, 2021, following a three-day trial.
According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, Drake communicated online with an undercover detective posing as a 15-year-old girl. During the communications, Drake attempted to persuade, induce, and entice the minor into engaging in sexual activity with him and requested the minor’s address so that he could meet the minor for sexual activity. Drake traveled to an address where he believed the minor resided, where law enforcement officers arrested him.
At sentencing, Judge Nye ordered Drake to forfeit the cellphone he used in the commission of the offense. As a result of the conviction, Drake will be required to register as a sex offender.
The investigation was part of “Operation Butterball,” a joint state and federal undercover operation conducted in Ada County in November 2019 to identify individuals predisposed to meet minors for sexual contact.
Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez credited the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Idaho Attorney General’s Office, Idaho State Police, Meridian Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Rupert Police Department, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, which led to charges.
This case was investigated by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a collaborative effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and communities to prevent and deter gun violence.
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Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.