LAS VEGAS – A Henderson, Nevada, resident was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for engaging in sexually explicit conversations over Facebook with three girls, requesting nude photos from them, and sexually assaulting two of the girls after purchasing airline tickets for them to travel to Las Vegas from New York City.
According to court documents, beginning in September 2018, Robert Marcellus Jones Jr. (55) used Facebook and phone calls to communicate with three victims in New York City. He coerced and enticed the girls to send sexually explicit images of themselves to him. Jones promised to pay them a weekly allowance in return for sexual attention and nude photographs and videos.
On November 2, 2018, Jones purchased two airline tickets to fly two of the girls to Las Vegas. After picking them up at the airport, Jones sexually assaulted both girls at his home. On November 5, the National Human Trafficking hotline received a tip that Jones was enticing three victims over Facebook. Law enforcement arrested him on November 8. A forensic review of Jones’ cellphones revealed sexually explicit images of the girls.
Jones was charged in a superseding indictment in April 2019. He pleaded guilty in November 2019 to one count each of distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, transportation of minors for prostitution or other illegal sexual activity, and coercion and enticement.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson sentenced Jones to 15 years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elham Roohani and Brian Whang prosecuted the case.
The 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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