SAVANNAH, GEORGIA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TRAVELING TO HAVE SEX WITH A CHILD AND USE OF THE INTERNET TO ENTICE A CHILD

BIRMINGHAM, AL - SAMUEL ZEV JURAVEL pled guilty late yesterday in United States District Court to three counts of traveling to have sex with a child and use of the internet to entice a child to engage in illegal sexual acts. JURAVEL, 30, of Savannah, Georgia, was arrested in Birmingham in March 2006 and remains in federal custody.

"Be warned - out of state child predators who travel to Alabama to harm our children will be prosecuted," states U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin. "We will protect our children through zealous prosecution of those who take advantage of and steal the innocence of childhood."

In the Plea Agreement filed August 10, 2006, JURAVEL pled guilty to traveling from Georgia to a location in Jefferson County, Alabama, to meet with what he believed to be a 12 year old boy and an 11 year old boy for illegal sex acts. JURVAL also admitted use of the internet to attempt to persuade induce, and entice the boys to meet him for sex. Through criminal forfeiture proceedings, a lap top computer which was seized at the time of arrest will be forfeited by JURAVEL.

According to the plea agreement JURAVEL now faces 262 months imprisonment and a life time of supervised release. Additionally, JURAVEL also faces a fine which will be determined by the Court at the time of sentencing. A sentencing hearing date has not been set by the Court at this time.

This case is significant in that it brings attention to a new Federal initiative: Project Safe Childhood which was launched earlier last month. Project Safe Childhood is a major Department endeavor where U.S. Attorneys will work together with local Department-funded Internet Crimes Against Children task forces, and all their other federal, state, and local partners, in unprecedented cooperative efforts to attack online pedophiles and pornographers.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Birmingham Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney John H. England, III is prosecuting this matter on behalf of the U.S. Government.

United States Attorney's Office Press Releases are also on the Internet visit www.usdoj.gov/usao/aln
Jill Ellis, Public Information Contact, 205-244-2015