Cahokia Resident Charged With Child Exploitation Offenses and Tampering With A Witness

Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on March 1, 2018, Ricardo D. Minor, 38, of Cahokia, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in East St. Louis, Illinois, in a three count indictment charging him with enticement of a minor, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and tampering with a witness. The violations took place between June 14, 2017, and November 17, 2017, in St. Clair and Madison Counties, Illinois, and the State of Missouri.

If convicted on the enticement and transportation charges, Minor faces a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years up to life, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of five years to life. If convicted of witness tampering, Minor faces a term of imprisonment of not more than twenty 20 years, a $250,000 fine, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years.

An indictment is merely the method by which federal charges are brought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Collinsville Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, and the FBI’s Springfield Child Exploitation Task Force. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.