NORFOLK — A Virginia Beach man was sentenced Tuesday to 27 years in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse of an 8 year-old girl.
According to court documents and evidence, Leedente Darrell Brown, 32, met dozens of young girls, including an 8-year-old, in person and online, and had them produce child pornography for him and other “horrible” sex offenders who were in group chat rooms with Brown.
He was identified after a Virginia Beach Police officer responded to a peeping tom call. Investigators later learned that Brown was attempting to meet the 8-year-old girl to “engage in sexual acts,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The 8-year-old victim reported Brown told her not to tell anyone, and if she did, he would kill her.
“We must do everything possible to protect our children from dangerous sexual predators like Brown,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Child sexual abuse is a horrific and abhorrent crime. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for ensuring that Brown will now be in a place where he cannot prey on our most vulnerable victims.”
Prosecutors said Brown has a significant criminal history which includes violence. In 2005, he was convicted of assault and battery of an 11 year-old. He was also convicted in March 2013 for assault and battery for cutting someone inside the MacArthur mall.
“Adults that prey on innocent children are despicable,” said Michael K. Lamonea, assistant special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk. “Brown’s victims will have to cope with the longstanding effects of his abuse for years to come. HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate sexual predators like Brown to ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, click here.
