Woodstock man sent to prison for child abuse

Jeffrey E. Roberts, 48, of Woodstock, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography following his arrest a year ago, U.S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak said Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office in Atlanta, on May 4, 2017, Roberts was arrested after he corresponded with an undercover agent regarding a planned sexual encounter with an undercover agent posing as an adolescent girl. The investigation began on April 20, 2017, when Roberts responded to an ad posted on Craigslist.

In subsequent communications, Roberts claimed he had experience with sexual encounters with children and made plans to meet the fictitious girl, the U.S. Attorney's office said. At the planned meeting site, Roberts was arrested with a laptop computer, which was seized and later found to contain child pornography.

"Through their constant vigilance, our federal and state law enforcement partners have stopped yet another individual who attempted to prey on a minor through the internet," Pak said. "Those who target children should know they will be exposed and prosecuted."

"It is fortunate that Roberts's predatory efforts connected him to an undercover agent and not an innocent child," said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "The lengthy prison sentence he received reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the threat he posed to the community."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was also involved in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Morris prosecuted the case.

The undercover work that Roberts was caught by is part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.