CHARLOTTE, NC – A federal jury has convicted a Texas man on multiple counts after prosecutors said he traveled to North Carolina to engage in criminal conduct involving a minor he met online.
Rusty Joseph Whittaker, 44, of Austin, was found guilty of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, enticement of a child, and production of illegal material. The verdict came after a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Evidence presented in court showed Whittaker initially met the victim on an anonymous chat application before moving the communications to Snapchat. Prosecutors said he pressured the victim to meet in person, using messaging platforms, online payment services, and gifts. On May 20, 2023, he traveled from Nashville, Tennessee, to Charlotte, where he carried out the crime.
Whittaker remains in U.S. Marshals Service custody. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and up to life. His sentencing date will be set following a presentence investigation.
The case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Field Office and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice program designed to combat online child exploitation.
Key Points
- Rusty Joseph Whittaker, 44, of Austin, convicted in Charlotte on federal enticement and exploitation charges.
- Prosecutors said he met the victim online and later traveled to North Carolina.
- Faces at least 15 years in prison, with sentencing to be scheduled.
The conviction highlights ongoing federal efforts to address online exploitation through Project Safe Childhood.
Would you like me to also rewrite the headline to make it punchier in a New York Post style, while keeping it factual?