Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Sean Corey McKenzie (31, Jacksonville) to more than 22 years and 6 months in federal prison for attempted production of child sex abuse images. McKenzie was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
McKenzie had pleaded guilty on May 3, 2021.
According to court documents, based on an ongoing investigation, FBI agents had reason to believe McKenzie had used an online account to upload child pornography to a private chat room in a particular social media application (app). On March 15, 2021, the agents conducted an interview of McKenzie at his residence in Jacksonville, Florida. During the interview, McKenzie admitted to using this social media app and, specifically, to using his account to request minor females take “nude” photos of themselves. McKenzie also admitted that the photos were sexually explicit. McKenzie stated, when he was on the app, he sought out chat rooms with names that suggested minor children would be present. During a search of McKenzie’s cellular phone, FBI agents discovered online conversations McKenzie had with minor children on the same app.
On March 24, 201, FBI agents conducted a second interview with McKenzie, showing him a recording of one of those online conversations with a minor child. In that conversation, which took place from January 4, 2021 to February 22, 2021, McKenzie solicited the child to produce and send him photos of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. McKenzie admitted to engaging in the conversation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
This is another 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.