Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-06-02108/USCOURTS-ca8-06-02108-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Joseph R. Gabourel
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Gary A. Fenner, United States District Judge for the Western

District of Missouri.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 06-2108

___________

United States of America, *

*

Appellee, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Western District of Missouri.

Joseph R. Gabourel, also known as * 

jowee6869, * [UNPUBLISHED]

*

Appellant. *

___________

Submitted: November 14, 2006

Filed: November 22, 2006

___________

Before BYE, JOHN R. GIBSON, and GRUENDER, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Joseph R. Gabourel entered a conditional plea of guilty to using the Internet to

attempt to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity in violation of 18 U.S.C.

§ 2422(b), preserving the right to appeal the district court's1

 denial of his motion to

dismiss the indictment based on the defense of legal impossibility. The "minor"

Gabourel solicited was an undercover police officer posing as a minor. Gabourel

contends § 2422(b) requires the victim to be an actual minor.

Appellate Case: 06-2108 Page: 1 Date Filed: 11/22/2006 Entry ID: 2111998
-2-

This same contention has since been squarely addressed and rejected in United

States v. Helder, 452 F.3d 751, 756 (8th Cir. 2006) ("[W]e hold that an actual minor

victim is not required for an attempt conviction under § 2422(b)"); see also United

States v. Hicks, 457 F.3d 838, 841 (8th Cir. 2006) (following Helder). Following

Helder, we affirm the district court.

______________________________

Appellate Case: 06-2108 Page: 2 Date Filed: 11/22/2006 Entry ID: 2111998