Ashley K. Whitaker, 49, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for making false statements on his monthly reports to the United States Probation Office. The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting United States Marshal Christopher Amoia.
Whitaker, originally from Lexington, Kentucky, was previously prosecuted in the Northern District of New York in 2008 for receiving sexually explicit images of a minor from Oswego County. After serving a ten-year sentence for that offense, he lived in Syracuse under supervision by U.S. Probation. Due to his conviction, Whitaker is classified as a Level 2 sex offender in New York and must register with the Division of Criminal Justice Services, including disclosing all internet identifiers and accounts.
After being released from prison, Whitaker created and used an undisclosed email account which he failed to report both to the registry and U.S. Probation. He then falsely stated over several written monthly reports that he was complying with registration requirements.
In addition to the 30-month sentence for false statements, Whitaker received another 24 months imprisonment for violating supervised release terms related to his original sex offense conviction. This second sentence will run consecutively with the first one. Upon completion of these sentences, he will serve three years of supervised release for the false statement charge and ten years for violating supervised release conditions related to his earlier conviction. He remains required to register as a sex offender.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Sex offender registration, and truthful compliance with United States Probation is an important part of a sex offender’s sentence. These guardrails are put in place to protect the public and to monitor an offender’s transition back into society. These are simple requirements. When sex offenders fail to comply, we will hold them accountable.”
Acting United States Marshal Christopher Amoia added: “The protection of our communities, especially our most vulnerable populations, remains one of our highest priorities. The U.S. Marshals Sex Offender Investigative Division collaborates closely with federal, state, and local partners to track offenders, enforce sex offender registration laws, and to ensure compliance with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. These efforts are central to the Marshals Service mission of protecting communities and reducing the risk posed by offenders who attempt to evade accountability. The United States Marshals Service will continue to dedicate resources to locating and apprehending sex offenders nationwide, ensuring that those who violate federal law are brought to justice.”
The case was investigated by both the U.S. Marshal Service and U.S. Probation Office; Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher is prosecuting.
Project Safe Childhood is a national initiative led by U.S Attorneys’ Offices along with other federal agencies aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online through coordination among various levels of law enforcement agencies (more information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc).
