Nevada man gets 65 years for ‘sextorting’ minors on several social media platforms

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Sparks, Nevada, man was sentenced on Friday to 65 years in prison after he was convicted in a “sextortion” scheme perpetrated over Omegle, Snapchat, TikTok and Mega social platforms from 2018 to 2021.

James Patrick Burns, 55, “sextorted” multiple minors online, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release. Burns was already a registered sex offender when he was arrested by authorities.

“During this period, Burns was the most prolific creator of illegal content on these forums,” according to the news release. “He victimized over 100 children, many of whom have yet to be identified. Burns’s offenses came to the attention of law enforcement when the mother of one of his victims saw threats on the victim’s phone and reported what she saw to the police.”

Burns will be required to serve lifetime supervised release if he is released from prison.

He was convicted on March 5 by a federal jury on eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, eight counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, and one count each of advertising, receiving, distributing and possessing child pornography.

Burns coerced minors into producing pornography. He was also ordered to pay $82,655.92 in restitution and $21,000 in assessments under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.

The announcement was made by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Miller of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas.

The FBI-led Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of detectives and investigators from the Sparks Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Attorney General’s Office, and HSI, investigated the case. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, HSI Chicago Field Office, and local law enforcement around the country provided substantial assistance.