Frank Twing, Sr., a 33-year-old man from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by 25 years of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old child and for traveling with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity with a 12-year-old child.

Twing admitted to engaging in a sexual relationship with the 15-year-old, during which he created sexually explicit videos. He also admitted to traveling from Massachusetts to New York with the intention of having sex with the 12-year-old.

Sources: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/massachusetts-man-sentenced-25-years-prison-sexual-exploitation-child-and-travel; https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-ceos/citizens-guide-us-federal-law-child-sexual-abuse

Commentary

When a perpetrator travels to another state to commit sexual abuse of a child, several federal laws can be violated.

The Citizen's Guide To U.S. Federal Law On Child Sexual Abuse notes that federal laws typically apply when the offense involves interstate or foreign commerce, such as traveling across state lines to commit the abuse.

The Guide includes summaries of various statutes that address different aspects of child sexual abuse, such as aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a minor or ward, and abusive sexual contact.

One of the primary laws is 18 U.S. Code §2251 - Sexual exploitation of children. This law addresses the use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. It also covers the transportation of a minor across state lines with the intent that the minor engages in sexually explicit conduct.

Federal laws also typically apply to child sexual abuse cases when the abuse occurs on federal lands such as military bases, Indian territories, and other government-owned properties. Offenders convicted under these laws face severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Harsher penalties may be imposed if the crime involved aggravated circumstances, such as the use of force or threats, infliction of serious bodily injury or death, or kidnapping a child during the commission of the abuse

You may review the Citizen's Guide at https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-ceos/citizens-guide-us-federal-law-child-sexual-abuse