Manhattan Man Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography, Enticing A Minor To Have Sex

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOEL DAVIS pled guilty to enticing a child to engage in illegal sexual activity, possession of child pornography, and distribution and receipt of child pornography.  DAVIS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison.  DAVIS pled guilty today before United States District Judge George B. Daniels.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As he admitted today, Joel Davis arranged to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex, and engaged in illegal sexual activity with the 15-year-old.  He also possessed child pornography that included children under the age of 12.  Davis rightly faces a lengthy prison sentence for victimizing children.”

According to the Information and other documents filed in the case to which DAVIS pled, as well as statements made during the plea proceeding:

In or about June 2018, DAVIS used a cellphone to arrange a meeting to engage in sexual activity with a 15-year-old boy and in fact met with the 15-year-old boy and engaged in illegal sexual activity.  In addition, between at least in or about May 2018 and June 2018, DAVIS possessed images and videos of child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors who were not yet 12 years old, and received and distributed material containing child pornography using a cellphone.

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DAVIS, 24, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of enticement of a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity, which carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison; one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison; and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

DAVIS is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Daniels on May 7, 2020, at 10:00 a.m.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the FBI in this investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J.C. Hellman and Juliana N. Murray are in charge of the prosecution.