Las Vegas, Nev. - Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, and Ellen B. Knowlton, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for Nevada, announced that MARC STEPHEN HOOD, age 43, a resident of Chino, California, was sentenced on February 24, 2003, to 71 months in prison for his guilty plea to Interstate Travel With the Intent to Engage in a Sexual Act with a Juvenile, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b). The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Larry R. Hicks.

On September 26, 2002, HOOD was arrested by FBI agents in Las Vegas after he followed through with plans to have sex with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. In July 2002, an FBI Agent, posing on the Internet as a 14-year-old female, entered a chat room and received an instant message from an individual later identified as MARC STEPHEN HOOD. In a chat session lasting approximately one and a half hours, the undercover agent was solicited by MARC STEPHEN HOOD for sex. Over the next couple of months, numerous sexually explicit internet chat sessions occurred, and HOOD eventually told the undercover agent that he would like to meet her in Las Vegas and that she should not tell any friends about their arrangements. HOOD also provided his first name and telephone number to the undercover agent. On September 25, 2002, HOOD told the undercover agent that he would be traveling to Las Vegas the next day, and would meet her at a local hotel/casino property. When HOOD followed through on his plans, he was arrested.

HOOD, who has been in custody since the time of his arrest, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy J. Koppe.

 

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