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Date: 08-24-2019
Case Style:
United States of America v. Anthony Ryan Moore-Powell
Case Number:
Judge: Martin Reidinger
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (Buncombe County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney's Office
Defendant's Attorney:
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Description:
Asheville, NC - Chicago Man Who Traveled To Western North Carolina To Engage In A Sexual Activity With A Minor Is Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison
Anthony Ryan Moore-Powell, 26, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, on charges of coercion and enticement of a minor. U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger also ordered MoorePowell to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on September 27, 2018, HSI became aware that Moore-Powell was using the Dark Web to locate a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. An undercover HSI agent posing as the father of an 8year-old boy began communicating with Moore-Powell. Over the course of their online exchanges, Moore-Powell agreed to pay $1,500 in exchange for engaging in sexual activity with the minor over the course of a weekend. Moore-Powell also discussed with the undercover agent the gifts he would bring for the minor, and other details pertaining to the commission of the sexual assault. Moore-Powell also sent child pornography videos to the undercover agent, requesting that they be shown to the boy.
On November 15, 2018, Moore-Powell flew from Chicago to Asheville, where he rented a vehicle and checked in at an area hotel. Moore-Powell then met with an undercover agent who was posing as the child’s father, and paid the agent $200 in cash as down payment in exchange for engaging in sex with the minor. After the meeting, Moore-Powell returned to his hotel room to await the arrival of the child. Law enforcement agents arrested Moore-Powell in the parking lot of the hotel.
Law enforcement searched Moore-Powell’s rental vehicle, where they located toys and electronics intended as gifts for the minor, and $1300 in cash. Moore-Powell was also in possession of computer storage devices that contained child pornography.
On February 25, 2019, Moore-Powell pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanked HSI and the Hendersonville Police Department for their investigation of this case.
Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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