Jason Speed, a St. Paul resident, has been sentenced to 24 years and four months in prison on charges related to the solicitation and production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The U.S. District Court, presided over by Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan, also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release following Speed's imprisonment. Speed pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the production of child pornography.
Between January 2020 and February 2024, Speed engaged in an online relationship with a woman in the Philippines, paying her to create CSAM featuring minors under 12. According to the court documents, he was aware that the subjects were minors. The minors were ultimately rescued through the efforts of the FBI's International Operations Division and local authorities.
Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick commented, "Child predators are conniving, creative, and profoundly dangerous. Speed lived in our community and lurked in the dark corners of the internet. From his perch in St. Paul, Speed victimized little children halfway around the world."
Alvin M. Winston Sr., Special Agent in Charge of FBI Minneapolis, stated, "Speed's actions were calculated, exploitative, and deeply disturbing. He knowingly financed and directed the creation of content that victimized innocent children."
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, Maplewood Police Department, St. Paul Police Department, and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse, led by the Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.
Judge Bryan highlighted the gravity of the crime, noting, “What happened to the two minor children is appalling and it is horrific.”
Further information on Project Safe Childhood can be found at Justice.gov/PSC.