Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 24 Years In Prison for Coercion and Enticement of Minors

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jorel Fowler was sentenced by United States District Judge Nina R. Morrison to 24 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and receipt of child pornography. Fowler, a registered sex offender, communicated with multiple victims over the internet and requested that they send him sexually explicit images and videos. Fowler was previously convicted of sex offenses in New York State court for similar conduct between 2013 and 2014. He committed the charged offenses after his release from state prison on the prior offenses and while on parole.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

"Today's lengthy sentence will protect the community, especially children, for decades from this repeat offender," stated United States Attorney Joseph Nocella. "After he was paroled for similar depraved conduct, Fowler squandered that second chance to lead a law-abiding life and unfortunately, caused great harm to at least three minors. Our Office will never relent in protecting the most vulnerable members of our community from sexual predators."

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia for its assistance during the investigation.

"Jorel Fowler, a recidivist sexual predator, prowled online platforms to target minor girls and groom them into sharing sexually explicit content," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. "Despite being a registered sex offender, Fowler continued to exploit vulnerable victims, violating their trust and physical autonomy. May today's sentencing highlight the FBI's determination to hold accountable any depraved individual who relentlessly preys on children to satisfy their own twisted desires."

As set forth in the government's sentencing memorandum and other court filings, between at least December 2022 and April 2023, Fowler communicated over the internet and through social media with multiple children, ultimately soliciting them for sexually explicit videos and images. In some cases, Fowler posed as a child himself, earning his victims' trust and grooming them to provide the graphic sexual material that he sought. Soon after beginning the conversation, Fowler would instruct his victims regarding what type of material they should send him, requesting that they record themselves posing in different positions and engaging in specific sex acts. Fowler was previously convicted of sex offenses in New York State Supreme Court and was a registered sex offender at the time of these offenses.

In December 2022, Fowler communicated through Snapchat with a 15-year-old girl ("Jane Doe 1") requesting that she send him sexually explicit videos and images. Beginning in January 2023, Fowler communicated through Snapchat with a 12-year-old girl ("Jane Doe 2") claiming that he was a 5-year-old boy. Fowler first met Jane Doe 2 through the game Roblox and soon requested that she begin speaking to him through Snapchat. In approximately April 2023, Fowler communicated with a 14-year-old girl ("Jane Doe 3"). He told Jane Doe 3 that he wanted to "do a pic session" with her and promised to send her digital currency in an online game afterward if she complied. Jane Doe 3 then sent Fowler images of herself posing in the positions he requested and engaging in his requested sex acts.

When Fowler was arrested in April 2023, law enforcement recovered multiple cellphones from the defendant's residence containing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.

This prosecution is 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 United States Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The government's case is being handled by the Office's General Crimes and National Security and Cybercrime Sections. Assistant United States Attorney Gilbert Rein is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

JOREL FOWLER
Age: 35
Queens, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-215 (NRM)