Full announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of North Carolina:
Kennedy was indicted in March 2011 for attempting to meet an individual he believed to be a 13 year old female to engage in sexual acts. Kennedy had placed solicitations on Craigslist in an attempt to entice young girls but unknowingly made contact with law enforcement instead. Eventually, Kennedy asked the individual he believed to be a 13 year old girl to meet with him alone. Kennedy actually drove to the agreed location hoping to meet the 13 year old girl, but fled when he suspected police involvement. He was later apprehended at his residence. He pled guilty to the charge in August 2011.
“The Buncombe Co. Sheriff’s Office remains committed to its partnerships with the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in combating child exploitation here in Buncombe County. There is not a more innocent victim than a child that is exploited by a predator,” said Buncombe County Sherriff Van Duncan. “We will continue to work diligently to curb the exploitation of children in our community. We would like to express our thanks to our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work and assistance in this investigation.”
“It is co-operations and partnerships such as the ICAC that enable the U.S. Attorney’s Office to join forces with our law enforcement partners to find and prosecute those who are out to harm our most vulnerable population, our children,” said U.S. Attorney Tompkins. “My office will continue to use any means necessary to ensure that children in this district are protected from predators like Jeremias and Kennedy.”
Both Jeremias and Kennedy are in local federal custody and will be transferred into custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The investigation into Jeremias was handled by the Asheville Police Department. Kennedy’s investigation was handled by the Buncombe County’s Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Fletcher Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Thorneloe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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