Houston Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation and Failure to Register as Sex Offender

HOUSTON, TX -- A 46-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for failure to register as a sex offender, possession of child pornography, sexual exploitation of children, and coercion and enticement.

Dustin Gentry pleaded guilty May 11. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now sentenced him to life in federal prison.

At the hearing Sept. 2, the court heard additional information that Gentry was previously convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and continued to do so after his first conviction. Gentry targeted victims younger than 12 and told them how to pose and take their clothes off, while he posed as someone younger. Gentry also tried to entice one victim to create sexually explicit images of their even younger siblings. The court also heard that the victims in this case have been harmed forever from this conduct.

In handing down the prison terms, Judge Hanks called Gentry “every parent’s worst nightmare” and a “predator willing to destroy children’s lives,” noting the unbearable and horrific pain and suffering he inflicted.

“You have demonstrated you aren’t going to stop unless physically unable to do it again,” said Hanks. “Every life has value, including yours. But at the same time, you can’t use yours to harm others. You will never be in a position to do what you did again.”

Gentry was further ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to a victim in the case and will be ordered to re-register as a sex offender.

Following a 2010 conviction for possession of child pornography, Gentry was ordered to register as a sex offender and was required to report any changes to online identifiers. However, the investigation revealed Gentry failed to do so.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Gentry’s residence and discovered over 1,000 images of CSAM on his electronic devices. A further search revealed conversations with multiple minors requesting more CSAM.

The messages revealed he directed victims as young as 12 to send explicit photos and instructed them how to pose in them.

Gentry has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.