Editorial Note: Craig Montgomery raced with AMA Pro Racing, CMRA and WERA.

Collin County Man Guilty of Child Enticement Violations

PLANO, Texas — A 43-year-old Richardson, Texas man has been found guilty of child enticement charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.

Jason Craig Montgomery was found guilty by a jury of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. The verdict was reached late in the evening of July 27, 2017, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

According to information presented in court, in March 2017, Montgomery placed an ad on an online classified advertising website that raised law enforcement concerns as to whether Montgomery was seeking to engage in sexual activity with a child. Accordingly, an undercover FBI agent responded to the ad as an individual with access to a minor child. Between March 30, 2017 and April 18, 2017, Montgomery engaged in an ongoing and repeated exchange of messages with the undercover agent, in an attempt to coerce and entice the minor child to whom the agent purportedly had access. In those messages, Montgomery expressed his interest in enticing the child, indicated his willingness to engage in sexual activity with the child, his concerns about law enforcement detection, and asked to meet with the child. On April 18, 2017, Montgomery arrived at a designated residence in Plano, Texas, at which time he was arrested by members of the Plano Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A search of Montgomery’s vehicle revealed a number of items brought for the child, including alcohol and prophylactics. Montgomery was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 10, 2017.

Under federal statutes, Montgomery faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov. (link is external)