Ian Alicea Prewett has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. In connection with his guilty plea, Prewett admitted he engaged in sex acts with minors under the age of 18 and enticed a child under the age of eight to produce sexually explicit images.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan stated, “Prewett preyed upon innocent children by enticing them to send him sexually explicit images and then victimized two minors, including during an out-of-state trip, by sexually assaulting those children."
Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, Anthony J. Patrone, emphasized, “Due to the dedication of our special agents and law enforcement partners, Prewett is no longer able to victimize children within our communities. HSI will continue to seek justice for victims and hold child predators accountable."
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, Prewett uploaded sexually explicit images of minors to Instagram between 2020 and 2022. Federal agents identified him as the individual behind the uploads in May 2023, leading to the discovery of a cell phone associated with the Instagram accounts used to distribute child pornography.
Prior to his arrest, Prewett faced charges in Cobb County, Georgia, for statutory rape, child molestation, and child enticement. These charges stemmed from Prewett's interactions with a 14-year-old girl, leading to sexual intercourse and other inappropriate activities.
One of Prewett's victims was a minor under eight years old from the United Kingdom. Prewett directed her to send explicit material and later traveled to Alabama to meet another minor, engaging in sexual acts with them.
The sentencing for Ian Alicea Prewett is scheduled for September 3, 2024, before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II in Rome, Georgia.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of various law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Calvin A. Leipold, III are prosecuting the case.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative aimed at protecting children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide, the project focuses on apprehending and prosecuting individuals who exploit children.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Further inquiries can be directed to the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.