Butte County Man Sentenced to 20 Years and 10 Months in Prison for Attempted Child Sex Abuse Offense

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Kevin Leslie Gipson, 60, of Oroville, was sentenced today to 20 years and 10 months in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

"Today's sentence holds the defendant accountable for his sickening attempt to sexually exploit a child," said U.S. Attorney Grant. "Thanks to law enforcement intervention, no child was actually harmed. But this case underscores the ongoing danger that the defendant poses to our community, especially in light of his prior convictions for sexually abusing young children. Our office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting those who seek to harm children and ensuring they face serious consequences."

"The FBI and our Crimes Against Children Task Force are relentless in identifying and apprehending depraved individuals like Kevin Gipson who prey on innocent children," said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. "Our agents stopped Mr. Gipson before he could harm a child, and our investigation ensured he will now serve a significant federal prison sentence. I'm proud of our agents and task force officers who tirelessly investigate these cases to make our communities safer for children."

According to court documents, in July 2024, Gipson communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Gipson communicated his desire to perform sex acts on the child and planned to meet the undercover officer and child at a hotel room to do so. Gipson purchased various sex-related items in preparation for the encounter and bought a stuffed animal with the intent to provide the stuffed animal to the child. When Gipson approached the undercover officer with the stuffed animal, he was arrested by law enforcement officers. Gipson pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the "resources" tab for information about internet-safety education.