Tadashi Kura Kojima, also known as Aaron Michael Zeman, a 29-year-old from Tucson, Arizona, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Kojima was convicted after pleading guilty in November 2024 to charges of transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The sentence was handed down by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr. This legal action followed Kojima's admission that from December 26 to December 28, 2022, he traveled from Arizona to Utah and abducted a 13-year-old. The two were found in Nebraska, where authorities arrested Kojima. The intent of the journey was to engage in illegal sexual activity with the minor.
This case was a result of a joint investigation by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, the Layton Police Department, and the Grand Island Police Department in Nebraska. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah was responsible for prosecuting the case.
The prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. This initiative, started in May 2006, combines the efforts of federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute those who exploit children via the Internet and aims to rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.