A 46-year-old Georgia man has been indicted on federal charges of child sex crimes after an underage Missouri girl was rescued from his custody.
Carlan Travis Penney Jr. was charged by complaint on March 7th in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity. He was arrested the following day in Georgia and subsequently indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday.
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According to charging documents, the teen’s family reported her missing to the local sheriff’s office, who then contacted the FBI. FBI agents discovered that the teen had been in contact with Penney, who had rented a car to travel to Missouri and bring her to Georgia.
The documents allege that when Penney picked up the teen, he was masked and claimed to be armed, threatening her if she turned out to be a law enforcement officer. He then allegedly smashed her phone and another mobile device before taking her to Georgia. During the trip, Penney reportedly used only cash, wore gloves, and made threatening statements about violence, including frequent mentions of murder.
Investigators located the teen at a home belonging to Penney’s family in Georgia. The victim told the FBI that Penney had initiated sexual conversations and sent her explicit images after they met on a “chat site.”
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“The victim was rescued quickly because of partnerships. After the FBI became aware, the minor was found in 24 hours hundreds of miles from her home,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We thank all the various agencies that immediately helped at all hours of the night. Special thanks to the Worth County and Crisp County Sheriff’s Offices that recovered the girl safely after an hour-long standoff with the subject.”
The FBI’s St. Louis Division, FBI Atlanta’s Albany Resident Agency, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Worth County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, and the Crisp County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
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