Levar Simms, a 30-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 96 months of incarceration today by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon following his January 28, 2008 guilty verdict of interstate transportation of a minor for the purpose of prostitution, announced U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor, Metropolitan Police Department (web|news) Chief Cathy Lanier (web|news|bio), and Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI (web) 's Washington Field Office.

In sentencing Simms to 96 months of incarceration, Judge Leon stated that Simms had preyed on a minor's vulnerabilities and weaknesses, and that he had made no showing of remorse. The Court departed upwards from the applicable sentence under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, stating that this was "not a case where a guideline sentence would be adequate to deter others who may be similarly inclined." Upon release from prison, Simms will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood and the Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims.

<a style="text-decoration: none" target="_blank" href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.echildhood.gov"><strong><font color="#ff9900">&raquo;</font> <font color="#0099ff" size="2">Click here for more information about Project Safe Childhood.</font></strong></a>