Katie 
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
San Diego, California: 30-year-old Michael Hamby Jr. was sentenced in federal court on Monday, April 4 to 28 years in prison for the sexual assault of a 3-year-old child.
Marine Times reports that Hamby was previously convicted in 2017 for attempted rape of a child but they were unsure if that conviction stemmed from the incident in 2016 for which he has now been sentenced in federal court.
According to the press release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California Hamby "advertised the child as available to others and expressed an intent to engage in sexual games with two other children, ages 4 and 8."
Hamby plead guilty in May 2021. The charge listed on the release is enticement of a minor and indicates a maximum mandatory sentence of 10 years up to the possibility of life in prison.
In addition to the 28 years in prison, Hamby will be under supervised release for 20 years and must register as a sex offender.
The details of the case as revealed in the release are extremely disturbing.
Despite appearing on paper as a devoted husband and stepfather who served his country honorably, Hamby presented a very different side in email correspondence with a co-defendant, Elijah Alexander Vazquez.
The pair were arrested in 2019.
In his guilty plea, Hamby admitted that between October 15, 2016 and October 22, 2016, while residing at Camp Pendleton, he corresponded via email with Vazquez concerning their mutual sexual interest in children. During those conversations, they agreed to meet in person and sexually assault a 3-year-old child.
Vazquez was scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, April 5 by Judge John Houston, but no press release could be located on Project Safe Childhood to indicate the outcome.
"The lengthy sentence issued by the court reflects the horrific and depraved nature of Hamby's crimes," U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman stated. "Following an NCIS investigation that spanned two countries, this prosecution ensures Hamby will face the consequences of his actions and the community will be protected from future harm."
Contributor
