Monroe County Man Sentenced To 30 Years’ Imprisonment For Sex Trafficking Of A Minor

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that David R. Parker, age 39, of Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 6, 2018, to 30 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge James M. Munley for sex trafficking involving a minor.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, from June 1, 2010 to August 31, 2010, Parker engaged in sex trafficking involving a minor.            Parker was charged by way of criminal information on August 3, 2017.  When he entered his guilty plea on August 7, 2017, Parker admitted that he transported and provided a minor male, approximately 9 years-old, to an adult male knowing that the minor male would be caused to engage in a commercial sexual act with the adult male.  Parker admitted that his own sexual gratification was but one benefit he received in exchange for trafficking the minor. 

In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Munley ordered that Parker be placed under supervision by a probation officer for the rest of his life.  He will also be required to comply with the registration requirements of the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (Adam Walsh Act) upon release from prison.

“We will never stray from the duty to protect our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed. “Instead of enjoying the care and comfort of his family, the minor victim in this case was abused and sold by the very man who should have protected him. Judge Munley clearly recognized that a lengthy prison term is the only appropriate response to such conduct.  I thank our dedicated partners at the FBI, and Attorney General Josh Shapiro and his team, for their unceasing efforts to bring this pedophile to justice.”

“David Parker admitted to sexually exploiting an innocent child for the purposes of his own gratification,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “Plainly stated, he's a predator. Cases like this are among the most disturbing worked by the FBI and our partners. We can only hope that Parker's lengthy prison sentence brings the child he so badly harmed some peace.” 

“This is a horrendous case. Thanks to the courage of this brave survivor, we were able to hold this man accountable for his crimes,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “I am pleased that today’s sentence secured by U.S. Attorney David J. Freed’s Office will keep this child predator behind bars for years to come.”

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

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