BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A Jefferson County man was sentenced to 50 years in prison for traveling across state lines to have sex with a minor in 2018.
Earl Rice Jr., 63, was sentenced Friday to 600 months in prison after a jury found him guilty of arranging to have sex with a minor, traveling to pick her up in Belleville, Illinois, and taking sexually explicit photos of her.
According to court documents, Rice first made contact with a teenage girl through a dating app. Soon after, he arranged to travel to Belleville to meet her and have sex.
On Feb. 18, 2018, he drove to Belleville with alcohol, condoms and a candle, picked her up and took her to a motel. Police said he had sex with the girl and took sexually explicit photos of her.
He was arrested at the motel a day later, and police found the photos on his phone.
“Serious crimes deserve serious punishment, and we are very satisfied with the 50-year sentence imposed on Earl Rice. Nothing could be more important than keeping children safe from sex offenders,” said United States Attorney Steven Weinhoeft said in a press release. “This case is another reminder for parents to be vigilant about their kids’ online activity and to monitor the apps on their phones.”
A jury found Rice guilty in October of 2021. He was sentenced Friday.
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