United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Childhood: SPRINGFIELD MAN ADMITS VICTIMIZING CONNECTICUT GIRL HE MET ON MYSPACE

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASON PALMEIRA, also known as “Jay,” age 27, of Springfield, Massachusetts, waived indictment and pleaded guilty today before Chief United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to one count of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, in June 2006, PALMEIRA met a 15-year-old female victim through the internet web site myspace.com. The victim’s myspace.com profile identified her as being 15-years-old, and PALMEIRA’s myspace.com profile identified him as being 26-years-old. PALMEIRA and the victim started communicating often via the internet. Some of their conversations were sexual in nature. PALMEIRA and the victim communicated with each other about getting together and engaging in sexual conduct.

On July 13, 2006, PALMEIRA drove to the victim’s hometown in Connecticut, picked her up and then traveled with her from Connecticut to a home in Springfield, Massachusetts. While at the Springfield home, PALMEIRA and the victim engaged in sexual contact. PALMEIRA drove the victim back to her hometown the following morning.

On August 1, 2006, federal agents arrested PALMEIRA pursuant to an arrest warrant and criminal complaint.

“This Office is committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who use the internet’s social networking web sites to exploit children,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor stated.

The charge to which PALMEIRA pleaded guilty carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. According to a binding plea agreement filed with the Court, the parties agree to a sentence of between 36 and 71 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years supervised release. If the Court accepts the plea agreement, PALMEIRA will be sentenced on September 14, 2007.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor offered several warning signs that a child may be communicating online with a sexual predator. These signs include a child who spends large amounts of time online, particularly between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. when their parents may still be at work; pornography is found on a child’s computer, as predators will often send their victims pornography to engage them in sexual discussions; a child receives or makes phone calls to unfamiliar numbers; a child receives mail, gifts or packages from unknown sources; a child makes efforts to cover up what he or she is doing on the computer; including turning off the monitor or changing the screen when others walk into the room; a child begins to use an online account belonging to someone else; a child becomes withdrawn from the family.

“It is imperative that we communicate openly with our children about the risks of internet use and monitor their online activities,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor stated. “Computers with internet access should be placed in a common room in the house, and parental controls and monitoring software are available and can be easily installed. Also, carefully review the information contained in a child’s screen name or internet profile, as predators will often use that information to target and pursue their victims.”

U.S. Attorney O’Connor noted that 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.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Simsbury Police Department and the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.

The Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force was formed in February 2003 to investigate crimes occurring over the internet. These crimes include computer intrusion, internet fraud, copyright violations, internet threats and harassment and on-line crimes against children. The Task Force also provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. The Task Force is housed in the main FBI office in New Haven, Connecticut. For more information about the Task Force, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov