Rock Island, Ill. – A Silvis, Ill., man, Michael Robert McKinney, 23, has been sentenced to 144 months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor.

On March 11, 2021, McKinney entered a plea of guilty to the indictment, which charged him with one count of attempted enticement of a minor. According to court documents McKinney traveled from Silvis, Ill., to Rock Island, Ill., after responding to an online advertisement. McKinney intended to meet with the father who posted the advertisement, in order to engage in oral sex with his eleven-year-old daughter.

McKinney has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest on November 13, 2020.

“Working with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute those who intend to sexually harm children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “Hopefully, this case and others like it will serve to remind anyone with the inclination to prey upon children to think twice and to stop. Children and parents need to remain constantly vigilant and exercise caution when accessing the internet, communication apps, and similar platforms.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Cox stated, “Crimes against children are some of the most reprehensible acts that law enforcement is determined to prevent and punish. The FBI will use every available resource to find and arrest those intent on harming our children. Today’s sentence sends a clear message to others who seek to exploit the innocence of children online – law enforcement is watching, and you will be caught. The successful outcome of this case is credited to the Springfield Child Exploitation Task Force, a collaboration with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners.”

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Rock Island Police, Illinois State Police, East Moline Police, Davenport Police, Galesburg Police, Knox County Sheriff’s Department and Macomb Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.