Kentucky man who coerced teen girls to send explicit images sentenced to 57 years
A northeastern Kentucky man who created fake personas online to lure teen girls into sending him sexually explicit images has been sentenced to 57 years in federal prison.
Dale Allen Fraley, 49, of Louisa was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Ashland by U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning.
Fraley used false names and photos of other young-adult men in online accounts to contact girls and lure them into romantic relationships, then “groomed” them into sending him sexually explicit images, according to a memorandum by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Lauren Melton.
Fraley then used threats to coerce the girls into sending him more images, saying if they didn’t he would send photos to their family and friends or to potential colleges, or have the girls sent to foster care, or report their parents for abuse, according to the memo.
Fraley coerced two girls into having sexual contact with him directly, and filmed the abuse using a smartphone.
The charges in the case involved two girls that Fraley began abusing when they were about 14, but there was evidence that Fraley used the scheme to extort at least 12 girls, according to the sentencing memorandum.
Fraley “not only sexually exploited these girls, he subjected them to extreme levels of manipulation, control, abuse, and harassment,” the prosecutor wrote.
A jury convicted Fraley of producing, receiving, possessing and distributing child pornography.
He will have to serve at least 85 percent of the 57 years. There is no parole in the federal court system, but an inmate can reduce his sentence by up to 15 percent for good behavior.
The FBI has reported a huge increase in cases of children and teens being coerced by adults into sending explicit images online, called sextortion.
The agency has tips for parents, guardians and young people on how to deal with the crime.
The FBI investigated Fraley with assistance from the Eastern Kentucky University Police Department, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV.
Melton and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Mayre prosecuted.
