An Illinois man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for transporting child sexual abuse material. William Ahart, 42, was convicted and sentenced by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Ahart, a registered sex offender, arrived at the Port Everglades cruise ship terminal from the U.S. Virgin Islands on June 15. During an examination of his smartphone by United States Customs and Border Protection officers, numerous images of child sexual abuse material were discovered. Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Fort Lauderdale found that these images had been sent to Ahart via messaging applications by three minor females with whom he had been communicating over several months.
HSI agents arrested Ahart after he admitted to receiving and viewing the material. The investigation also revealed that Ahart encouraged one of the minors to engage in self-harm and mailed her a package containing items like knives and a shock collar.
On September 20, Ahart pled guilty to transportation of child sexual abuse material.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI Miami.
The case was investigated by HSI Miami, South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, CBP, and HSI Albany Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
For more information about PSC or related court documents, visit www.justice.gov/psc or www.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60118.