Danbury Man Charged with Multiple Child Exploitation Offenses

 Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, today announced that WAYNE MARCELL, 35, of Danbury has been charged by federal criminal complaint with multiple child exploitation offenses.

Marcell appeared today via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector.  He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 23, 2021.

As alleged in court documents, in April 2021, a 14-year-old female in Georgia met Robert Fyke, 33, of Lubbock, Texas, on an online video/chat platform.  Fyke and the minor victim then used Kik and other social media platforms to communicate.  In May 2021, Fyke drove from Texas to Georgia, picked up the minor victim and drove her back to Lubbock.  The minor victim resided with Fyke for approximately four weeks.

It is further alleged that, while living with Fyke, the minor victim began communicating with Marcell on video game and social media platforms.  In June 2021, Marcell paid an individual $2,000 to drive the minor victim from Texas to Illinois.  Marcell then drove from Connecticut to Illinois, picked up the minor victim, and brought her to his home in Danbury.  Marcell engaged in multiple illicit sexual acts with the minor victim, and took photos and videos of the sexual abuse.

The complaint charges Marcell with sexual exploitation of a child, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, and conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

Fyke, who has been detained since his arrest on June 17, 2021, has been charged in the Northern District of Texas.

Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and Danbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford with the cooperation of the Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.