LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - A conversation on Craigslist led to prison time for one central Arkansas man.
Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Acting Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Annello, announced on Monday the sentencing of David Frazier, 56, of Little Rock, to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sex acts.
United States District Judge J. Leon Holmes sentenced Frazier to 10 years imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release, on Monday.
“Today’s decade-long sentence sends the message that individuals who prey on innocent children over the internet are being monitored, and when caught, will be prosecuted and punished,” Hiland said. “We will use every tool in our arsenal to unmask and bring to justice the individuals who believe they can hide behind the perceived anonymity of the internet to harm children.”
Related headlines: Conversation on Craigslist leads to arrest of Little Rock man for child porn
On June 6, 2017, the Arkansas State Police received a complaint from a person who answered a Craigslist advertisement titled “I know your secret.” This person had communicated with the individual who posted the ad. The individual asked the person to communicate through the KIK application and stated his username was “yplover.”
During the KIK communications, “yplover” began expressing an interest in having sex with a 7-year-old. “Yplover” explained in graphic detail what he would like to do to the child. The conversation concerned the person and she reported it to law enforcement. During the conversations, “yplover” sent two images of himself. The images depicted David Frazier.
On June 21, 2017, a law enforcement officer, acting in an undercover capacity (“UC”), answered an identical ad on Craigslist titled “I know your secret.” The UC made contact with the individual—identified as Frazier—who posted the ad. Frazier asked the UC to communicate via KIK. Frazier stated that his username was “yplover.” During the communications on Craigslist and KIK, Frazier expressed a desire to have sex with a child. The UC told Frazier that she had an 8-year-old daughter and that she wanted to watch Frazier and the 8-year-old engage in sex. Frazier asked the UC to send a photograph of her “daughter.”
The UC sent a photograph of herself as an 8-year-old. Frazier advised that he thought the UC’s “daughter” was cute and turned him on when the UC sent a picture of her. Frazier said he had thought about printing out the picture and doing a “tribute.”
The UC asked Frazier to describe a “tribute.” Frazier later sent the UC a video of himself masturbating onto the picture. Frazier continued to state in great detail the sex acts he wanted to perform on the UC’s purported 8-year-old daughter. Frazier then asked the UC what the rules would be if he were to meet the UC’s daughter. Frazier and the UC discussed items that the daughter would like as a gift. Frazier mentioned the three of them hanging out together.
The UC said, “Then what would happen?” Frazier said, “Something that would let me get close to her.” Frazier continued, “Once she’s comfortable around me, she could sit on my lap while we watch a movie. Something totally innocent…Disney or something.” The UC told Frazier that she liked princess movies. Frazier then said, “We have to do something to move things further…sort of a jump start.” Frazier suggested, “Maybe let her ‘accidentally’ see some porn.” Frazier asked, “How would she react if she saw me naked lol.” Frazier suggested getting a room and letting the UC bring her there.
Frazier was arrested by HSI agents on September 6, 2017, at his place of employment, pursuant to a warrant based on a criminal complaint charging him with attempted enticement of a minor. During a search of his office, officers located a gun safe, which was later determined to contain two computer thumb drives, a computer hard drive, a bottle of lubricant, a selfie stick, and a sexual stimulation device.
After reviewing Frazier’s cellular telephone and the storage devices found in the gun safe, agents discovered multiple images of child pornography. Agents also located chat messages between Frazier and an individual claiming to be a 14-year-old; in these chats, Frazier asks the minor to send a sexually explicit photograph. A forensic analysis completed on the electronic devices seized from Frazier resulted in the discovery of 23,000 images and videos of child pornography.
“Individuals who seek to sexually exploit minors steal the innocence of childhood and potentially destroy lives,” said Acting Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Annello. “This case shows HSI investigators are actively working to identify and disrupt child predators, and also to seek prosecution of these criminals wherever they may be found.”
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, Special Investigations Division, and Benton County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
