Child Predator Task Force Investigations Lead to Arrests in Two Cases

New Jersey man charged with travelling to Delaware to meet potential victim;

Newark man arrested and charged with distribution of child pornography

DOVER – Investigations by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force resulted in the arrests of two men in separate incidents last week – including one in which a New Jersey man traveled to Delaware for the purpose of meeting an underage victim – Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden announced Wednesday.

On Friday, Nov. 7, an undercover online investigation by the Child Predator Task Force resulted in the arrest of a New Jersey man in the parking lot of the Quality Inn & Suites Skyways on N. DuPont Highway in New Castle. The online investigation involved monitoring chatrooms and communications between the man and an undercover investigator. In the course of the electronic communications, the subject arranged to meet the undercover investigator at the motel for the purposes of having sex with a 14-year-old boy. When the man arrived at the hotel, Delaware State Troopers arrested him without incident. Arrested was Michael T. Motto, 22, of 33 Aldridge Way in Sewell, NJ. He was charged with one count of attempted solicitation of a child, one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and 25 counts of dealing in child pornography (a search warrant executed following Motto’s arrest at the Quality Inn & Suites found images of child pornography on an electronic device in Motto’s possession). He is being held in lieu of $1.62 million cash bail at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. The Task Force’s investigation into Motto is continuing. Anyone who has information about him should call the Task Force at 302-739-2030.

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, an investigation in the distribution of child pornography over the Internet led the Child Predator Task Force to a residence at 51 Cheswold Blvd., Apartment 3D, in Newark. The Task Force executed a search warrant that found 10 videos of child pornography on an electronic device in the residence. The Task Force arrested the occupier of the residence, Purvest L. Allen, 39. Allen was arraigned via videophone at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and ordered held at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $200,000 secured bond.

Purvest L. Allen

Michael Motto

Sexual Predator Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison

Sexual Predator Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison

WILMINGTON – A Middletown man was sentenced Friday to spend the next 13 years in prison for his crimes against children, Attorney General Beau Biden announced Friday.

Charles H. Hurd Jr., 49 of the 800 block of Woodline Drive in Middletown, was initially arrested and charged with dealing child pornography in June 2013 after a Child Predator Task Force discovered illegal images in his possession. The Task Force’s investigation into Hurd continued, and on Jan. 1, 2014, he was arrested again after evidence was uncovered that he sexually assaulted a child. He pled guilty in June to five counts of dealing in child pornography and one count of unlawful sexual contact with a child.

Hurd was sentenced in New Castle County Superior Court by Judge Vivian L. Medinilla. The case prosecuted for Biden’s office by Deputy Attorney General Abigail Layton, head of the Child Predator Task Force.

Child Predator Task Force Investigation Results in 44-Year Sentence for Kent County Man

DOVER – A Kent County man was sentenced Thursday to spend the next 44 years in prison for his sexual crimes against children, Attorney General Beau Biden announced.

Stephen M. Parsons, 26 of Vineyard Lane in Felton, pled guilty in September to one count of first-degree rape, one count of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of dealing child pornography. He was initially arrested and charged with child pornography offenses in March by the Child Predator Task Force. The Task Force continued its investigation, and a few weeks later arrested Parsons again after discovering evidence that Parsons had sexually abused a young child in his care and taken pornographic pictures of his victim.

“This predator is the worst of the worst,” Biden said. “He will no longer be able to harm children. This case shows why Delaware needs police and prosecutors working side by side to track down and stop those want to hurt our kids.”

Parsons was sentenced by Kent County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Young. Parsons faced a minimum of 21 years in prison.

Since Biden worked with the General Assembly and the Delaware law enforcement to establish the Child Predator Task Force, the task force’s work has led to more than 200 convictions and the rescue of at least 120 children from abusive situations.

“This case is exactly why the Child Predator Task Force was created,” said Deputy Attorney General Abigail Layton, who is the head of the Task Force and prosecuted Parsons.

A booking image of Parsons is available upon request.

Dover Man Charged With Dealing In Child Pornography

Dover – Attorney General Beau Biden’s office today announced that a Dover man has been charged with dealing in child pornography following an investigation by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force.

A Task Force investigation into the online distribution of child pornography led to a residence in the 400 block of Worchester Drive, Dover and a person of interest, 23 year-old Michael Gutierrez, a resident of the address. On August 28, 2014, investigators made contact with Gutierrez and transported him to DSP Troop #3 for further investigation and Task Force members executed a search warrant at the residence. During the search detectives recovered two laptop computers and a digital camera, and secured a cellular smartphone in Gutierrez’s possession.

A forensic examination of Gutierrez’s cell phone revealed multiple images of child pornography and he was charged with 25 counts of Dealing in Child Pornography. Gutierrez was arraigned via phone at JP Court #4 and was taken to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in lieu of $500,000 secured bail.

The Child Predator Task Force investigation continues. A booking image is copied below.

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Kent County man convicted of child pornography, rape charges

Dover – A Kent County man arrested in March on child pornography offenses pled guilty for his crimes today.

Stephen M. Parsons, age 26, of Vineyard Lane in Felton was arrested following an investigation by the Delaware Child Predator Task Force into the online distribution of child pornography. As part of the investigation, Task Force detectives and the Delaware State Police executed a search warrant at Parsons’ residence on March 21, seizing multiple computers and other digital media devices. A forensic analysis revealed that a seized computer contained multiple images of child pornography and Parsons was initially arrested at that time on multiple counts of dealing in child pornography. The ongoing investigation revealed evidence that Parsons was abusing a young boy in his care and he was subsequently charged with Rape and Sexual Exploitation of a Child.

Parsons pled guilty this morning before Kent County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Young to one count each of Rape 1st Degree and Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and two counts of Dealing in Child Pornography. He faces 21 years to life in prison when sentenced on October 30, 2014.

Parsons remains incarcerated at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, where he has been held since his arrest. A booking image is below.

Read the March, 2014 release announcing Parsons’ initial arrest.

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