NORTH ALABAMA (WHNT) — A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to decades in prison after being accused of sexually exploiting a minor in North Alabama.
According to court documents, from December 30, 2024, through January 4, 2025, Newman targeted a 14-year-old female victim online through social media, befriended her through deceit, and coerced her into sending him child sexual abuse material.
On January 4, 2025, Newman travelled over 700 miles from his home in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, to the minor victim’s home in northern Alabama with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity with her, according to officials.
On January 22, Newman was arrested in Pennsylvania on Alabama state warrants for electronic solicitation, traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act, production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to officials, the victim’s mother found Newman lying on the bed in her daughter’s bedroom and confronted him. Newman fled the residence back to Glenshaw, Pennsylvania.
At the time of his arrest, officers seized Newman’s iPhone. After obtaining a federal search warrant, FBI agents reviewed his iPhone, which revealed communications between Newman and the minor victim as well as child sexual abuse material involving the victim.
Additional digital evidence recovered from Newman’s iPhone revealed that this minor was not Newman’s only victim. After returning to Pennsylvania from the minor victim’s home in Alabama, Newman was in communication with another victim, whom the FBI identified as an 11-year-old female in Colorado.
US Justice Department officials said that Robert John Newman, Jr., 29, of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 40 years in prison followed by a life term of supervised release.
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