Crestview resident gets sentence for child exploitation

PENSACOLA — A judge sentenced a Crestview man Oct. 31 on child exploitation charges.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice media release, Richard D. Waterson II, 47, a registered sex offender living in Crestview, has a sentence of 40 years in prison after pleading guilty Jan. 26 to attempted enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and for committing a felony involving a minor while a registered sex offender. Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

According to the media release, Waterson and an undercover officer conversed online May and June 2016, regarding sexual contact with the undercover officer’s fictitious 13-year-old daughter “Amber.” Police arrested Waterson when he approached the hotel where he had agreed to engage in sexual activity with “Amber.”

After his arrest, investigators seized multiple computers of his. A forensic examination located more than 600 child pornography images and videos downloaded from the internet on his electronic devices.

Investigators include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Crestview Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case prosecutor was Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview resident gets sentence for child exploitation