CINCINNATI, OH — An Ohio man was sentenced in federal court to 312 months in prison for coercing minor victims online into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct.
William Scott Elam, 53, pleaded guilty in July to 10 counts of coercion and enticement and one count of sexual exploitation of children.
“There are real-life consequences to actions taken online,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Predators like Elam hide behind a computer screen while preying on vulnerable children. But the harm they cause is real, and so is the significant amount of time they will spend in federal prison to account for those actions.”
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According to court documents, for approximately four years, Elam began online relationships with numerous minor females in at least seven states, particularly with vulnerable minors who had previously engaged in self-harm, had body issues or other social issues. He connected with girls between the ages of 10 and 16 on various online chatting apps and pretended to be a 14-year-old male…