A York County, Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for coercing minors into producing sexually explicit images and videos of themselves — a case a federal judge described as "predatory, calculated, and evil."
Jonah Allen Sassam Watt, 32, of Dover, was sentenced Tuesday (March 3) by United States District Judge Jennifer Wilson after pleading guilty to charges related to the production of child sexual abuse material and the solicitation of minors. According to CBS 21, Watt must also pay $54,710 in restitution to victims and serve an additional 15 years of federal supervised release once he is released from prison.
Authorities said Watt used multiple social media platforms to target children between the ages of 12 and 16, pressuring them to create explicit photos and videos of themselves. In some cases, he offered the children payment. In others, he threatened to "hack" their social media accounts if they refused.
When law enforcement arrested Watt, investigators found additional child sexual abuse material in his possession — including images depicting infants and toddlers being sexually assaulted.
Judge Wilson, in handing down the sentence, echoed the words of a mother of one of the victims. According to Yahoo News, the mother called Watt's conduct "predatory, calculated, and evil" — language the judge adopted in her own remarks from the bench.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Berti prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.