A Far Rockaway man was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and receipt of child pornography.
Jorel Fowler, 35, of Seagirt Avenue, a registered sex offender, communicated with multiple young victims over the internet and requested 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.
“Today’s lengthy sentence will protect the community, especially children, for decades from this repeat offender,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said on Dec. 17. “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.”
According to 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 the victim’s 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 sexual 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.
According to court filings, in December 2022, Fowler communicated through Snapchat with a 15-year-old girl, known as 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 April 2023, Fowler communicated with a 14-year-old girl, Jane Doe 3. He told her 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 positions he requested and engaging in his requested sex acts.
When Fowler was arrested by the FBI in April 2023, agents recovered multiple cellphones from his residence containing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
“Our office will never relent in protecting the most vulnerable of our community from sexual predators,” Nocella said.
Fowler was sentenced in Brooklyn federal court by U.S. District Judge Nina R. Morrison to 24 years in prison.
“Jorel Fowler, a recidivist sexual predator, prowled online platforms to target minor girls and groom them into sharing sexually explicit content,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher Raia said. “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.”
