Louisiana man linked to international child exploitation investigation; convicted by federal jury

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) - A north Louisiana man was convicted on several counts including attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.

A news release from the United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana said 68-year-old Richard Dean Hicks of Pioneer, Louisiana was convicted by a federal jury in Monroe for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of promotion and solicitation of child pornography and five counts of attempted production of child pornography.

The conviction was related to the superceding indictment against Hicks from September 27, 2023.

A nationwide investigation that started in 2012 followed the actions of individuals who were soliciting child sex traffickers in the Philippines to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via live stream. The individuals targeted in the investigation paid money for child sex traffickers in the Philippines to sexually abuse children while they wated and directed the sex trafficker's sexual abuse of the children involved.

Agents with the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on a home in Philadelphia. The evidence obtained allowed agents to identify an individual in the Philippines who was selling sexually explicit live webcam shows of femail adults engaging in the sexual abues of underage children.

Investigators were then able to identify an inidividual in Louisiana, later confirmed to be Hicks, who was also communicating with multiple females in the Philippines.

Hicks and the females in the Philippines reportedly shared 500 text messages and live video Skype calls between December 2017 and July 2020. During that time, federal prosecutors said Hicks paid the females in the Philippines to sexually abuse children as young as five while he watched and told the women what acts of sexual abuse he wanted them to perform on the children.

Evidence shown during trial revealed that Hicks communicated with the females in the Philippines using text messages, and Skype video calls and paid them via Western Union on numerous occasisons to view the sexually explicit act with children with payments ranging from $25 - $120.

Agents secured a federal search warrant on May 31, 2022 to search Hicks' home in Pioneer. During the search they seized his computers and other electronic equipment that was used to watch and participate in these sex shows.

The jury returned their verdict in under three hours, fiding Hicks guilty on all counts in the indictment. At sentencing Hicks faces not less than 15 years to life in prison, followed by a lifetime of supevised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is set for a later date.  

“This case involves some of the most heinous forms of child abuse that we have seen,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “It is because of the determination and hard work of the agents with Homeland Security Investigations that this international investigation led to north Louisiana and the home of this defendant. Children should never be exposed to this kind of abuse and it is our calling to continue fighting to stop this kind of illegal activity by defendants like Hicks.”

The defendant who was arrested in Philadelphia was sentenced to 228 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. The female subjects in the Philippines are still the subject of a joint ongoing investigation with the Philippines and U.S. law enforcement. Numerous other females were arrested. Pursuant to this investigation, there have been over 300 children rescued to date.

"This type of abuse is uniquely insidious. Criminal buyers like Hicks pay to direct adults to sexually abuse children in other countries on livestreams that are challenging for investigators to find and disrupt. Despite the complexity of this case the jury saw the magnitude of the crime and their verdict sends the message those who victimize children will be held accountable. HSI will never cease in our efforts to dismantle these abuse networks and seek justice for the children they victimize,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune for Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans.