2009 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit
7-23-2009 

# U SA v . B ri an N es t or P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 08-2535

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2009 D e c i sion s b y an author i z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

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w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009/887P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT

_____________ N o. 08- 2535

_____________ UNI T E D S T AT E S OF AM E RI CA

v. BRI AN LEE NES TOR, A p p e llan t.

_______________ O n A p p ea l from the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt f o r th e W e ste rn D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia ( D
. C

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J ul y9, 2009 B e f o re : S L O V IT E R , A M B R O a n d J O R D A N , C irc u it

Judges

. ( Fi l ed : J ul y23, 2009)

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_______________ J O R D A N , C i r cui tJudge

. B ra in L e e N e sto r a p p e a ls h is c o n v ictio n f o r a ttem p tin g to per s uade , ind u ce, ent i ce, orcoer ce a chi l d t o engage i n i l l egal s e x u a l a c t i v i t y , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 8 U. S

. C. § 2 4 2 2 ( b )

. He cont ends t hat, b ec ause he nevers poke t o a chi l d ort o any one w hom he bel i eved w as a chi l d, he cannotbe convi ct ed undert he sta tu te. W e c o n c lu d e th a t a d e f e n d a n t li k e N e sto r, ch a rg e d w ith at t empt i ng t o l ur e a c hi l d i nt o s ex, can vi ol at e § 2422( b) w i t hout comm uni cat i ng di r ect l yw i t h a chi l d or w i t h s om eone w hom he b e lie v e s is a c h ild , a n d w e th e re f o re w ill a f

f ir m .C r ai gs l i s t i s a w ebs i t e t hat pr ovi des “[l ] ocal cl as s i fi eds 1 and forum s for570 ci t i es in 50 countr i es w or l dw i de - comm uni t ym oder at ed, and l ar gel yfr ee. ” C r ai gs l i s tA bout F a c ts h e e t, h ttp : //w w w . cr ai gs l i s t
. or g/ about/ fac t s heet(l astvi s i t ed J u n e 4 , 2 0 0 9 ).
3 I . Backg r ound N es t o rpos t ed an a dver t i s ementon C r ai gs l i s t as ki ng, 1 “anybodyi nt o fami l yfun?” R ober tJ ones , a G r eens bur g, Penns y l vani a pol i ce of fi cert r ai ned t o i n v esti gat e on- l i ne s ex cr i m es , un d erstood t he i m por tof the ad, r ecogni zi ng t hat “fa m i l yfun” w as code f ors exual cont act w i t h m i norchi l dr en, par t i cul ar l y i nces tuous cont act
. O ffi cer J ones s us pect ed the ad w a s d e sig n e d to f

in d a p a re n t w ill in g to m a k e a c h ild a v a ilab le fo r s e x , an d h e re sp o n d ed to the ad u sing the a li as R o b ert M ol t isan ti

. O vert he nextfi ve day s , N es t orand J ones excha nged over50 e- m ai l s . J ones al s o cont act ed the FB I and began w or ki ng w i t h agentT i m ot hyL aus t er . A gent L aus t ert hen adopt ed the M olt isan ti per s ona and i ni t i at ed a s er i es of phone conver s at i ons w i t h N est o r. T hr ough t he e- m ai l s and phone c o n v e rsa tio n s, N e sto r pr o p o se d to e n g a g e in se x u a l ac tiv ityw ith M ol t i s ant i and M ol t i s ant i ’ s under age s te ps on and arr anged f or a m eet i ng at N es t or ’ s hom e. H e al s o di s cus s ed pr eca ut i ons t hat sh o u ld b e tak e n to a v o id p o lice d e tec tio n a n d a sk e d M o lti sa n ti to b ri n g h im c h ild p o rn o g ra p h y . O n t he dayof the pr opos ed meet i ng, l aw enf o rce m ent offi cer s arr es t ed N es t orathi s hom e. A gran d jur yi n t he4 W es t ern D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a i ndi ct ed N est orand cha r ged hi m w i t h att empt i ng t o know i ngl yper s uade, i nduce, ent i ce, or coer c e a n i n d i v i d u a l u n d e rt h e a g e o f 1 8 t o e n g a g e i n s e x u al a c tiv ity, in v io latio n o f 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 4 2 2 (b ), an d k n o w in g ly pos s es s i ng vi s ual depi ct i ons of m i nor s engage d in se xual act i vi t y , i n vi ol at i on of 18 U
. S. C

. § 2252( a) ( 4) ( B )

. N es t orpl ed gui l t yt o pos s es s i on of chi l d por nogr aphy but w ent t o t r i al on t he char ge of a t t empt ed ent i cement of a m i nor . A t t he cl os e of the governm ent ’ s evi dence , N es t or m oved fora j udgm entof acqui t t al , ar gui ng t hat , beca us e he ha d nevere- m ai l ed ors poken t o a chi l d ors om eone pos i ng as a chi l d, he coul d notbe convi ct ed of at t empt i ng t o ent i ce a chi l d t o engage i n s exual ac ti v ityu n d e r § 2 4 2 2 (b). T h e D istri ct C o u rtd en ied N esto r’s m o tio n , a n d th e ju ry u ltim a te ly f o u n d N e s to r g u ilty. Foll ow i ng t he gui l t yver di ct , N es t orfi l ed a w r i t t en m o tio n f o r ju d g m e n t o f a c q u itt a l, re a ss e rtin g h is a rg u m e n t th a t, beca us e he c om m uni cat ed s ol el yw i t h an i nt erm edi aryr ather th a n d ire c tlyw ith a c h ild o r so m e o n e p o sin g a s a ch ild , h e c o u ld notbe convi ct ed u n der§ 2422( b)

. T he D i s t r i ctC our tdeni ed N es t or ’ s m ot i on and sent ence d hi m t o 120 m ont hs forat t empt ed e n ticem ent of a chil d an d 4 6 m on t hs for po sses si on of ch i ld por nogr aphy , w i t h t he t erm s t o run concurr ent l y . N es t orfi l ed a tim e ly n o tic e o f

a p p e a l.T he D istr i ctC our thad j ur i s di ct i on overt hi s cr i m i nal 2 a c tio n p u rsu a n t to 1 8 U .S .C . § 3 2 3 1 , an d w e h a v e ju risd ictio n to re v ie w th e D is tr ic t C o u rt ’s f in a l d e c i s i o n u n d e r 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 9 1

. W e e x erc ise p lena ryrev iew o f th e D istri ct C o u rt ’s in te rp re ta tio n o f

a f e d e ra l s ta tu te
. U

n itedS ta tes v . So to , 539 F
. 3 d 1 9 1 , 1 9 4 (3d C ir

. 2 0 0 8 ). 5 I I . D i s cus s i on 2 T h e iss u e is w h e th e r a d e f e n d a n t w h o u se s a n a d u lt i nt erm edi ary , r athert han di r ect cont act w i t h a chi l d, t o at t empt to p e rsu a d e , ind u c e , en tice , o r c o e rc e th e c h ild to e n g a g e in sex u al ac ti v ityca n b e h eld to v iolate 18 U
. S

. C

. § 2 4 2 2 (b). B e c a u se , b y its ter m s, th e c rim e a t is su e is o n e o f a ttem p t, l o g ic a n d p re c e d e n t c o m p e l u s to a n s w e r ye s . W e begi n w i t h t he l anguage of the s t atut e and the pr es um pt i on “thatt he l egi s l atur e s ay s i n a s t atut e w hati tm eans a n d m e a n s i n a s t a tu te w h a t it s a y s ... .” B edRoc Ltd. , LLCv. U ni t ed Sta tes , 541 U

. S. 176, 184 ( 2004) ( ci t i ng C o n n e c ticu t N a t. B a n k v . G e rm a in , 503 U

. S. 249, 253- 254 ( 1992) )

. Sect i on 2 4 2 2 (b ) o f

tit le 1 8 o f

th e U n ited S tate s C o d e re a d s: W hoever , us i ng t he m ai l or any fac i l i t y orm eans o f in ter sta te o r fo re ig n c o m m e rc e , ... k n o w in g ly per s uades , i nduces , ent i ces , orcoer ces any i ndi vi dual w ho has notat t ai ned the age of 18 y ear s , t o engage i n pr os t i tut i on oranys exual a c tiv ityf o r w h ich a n y p e rso n c a n b e c h a rg e d w ith a c ri m in a l o f

f e n s e , o r a t t em

pts t o d o so , s hal l beI n Ty ka rs ky , th e d e f e n d a n t m e t an u n d e rc o v e r a g e n t, 3 p o s in g a s a f

o u rt e e n -ye a r- o ld g ir l, in a n in te rn e t c h a t r o o m . I d. a t 4 6 1 . H e to ld th e a g e n t, po sin g a s th e g irl, th a t h e w a n ted to h a v e s e x w ith h e r a n d s e t u p a m e e tin g a t a lo c a l h o te l. I d. at 461- 62. T he def

endantw as arr es t ed upon arr i vi ng att he hot el a n d u ltim a te ly co n v ic te d u n d e r 1 8 U .S .C . § 2 4 2 2 (b ). I d. at462- 63. O n appea l , w e r ej ect ed the de fe n d an t ’ s ar gum entt hathe coul d noth av e v iol at ed § 2422( b) beca us e ther e w as notan a c tu a l m in o r i n v o lv e d , a n d w e a f f ir m e d h is c o n v ic tio n . I d. at 468- 69, 483. 6 fi ned undert hi s t i t l e and i m pr i s oned notl es s t han 10 y ear s orforl i fe. ( emphasi s added)

. N es t or w as notchar ged w i t h actual ent i cementbutw i t h at t empt i ng t o per s u ad e, i nduce, ent i ce, or coer ce a chi l d t o engage i n s exual act i vi t y . W e have e xpl ai ned t hata def

endantat t empt s t o comm i ta cr i m e w hen he dem on strat es hi s i ntentt o co m m i tt he cri m e a n d t akes a s u b s ta n tia l s te p to w a rd d o in g s o . U ni t ed Stat es v. Tykars ky , 446 F. 3d 458, 469 ( 3d C i r . 2006) ( ci t i ng U nited S tates v. H

su , 1 55 F. 3d 189, 202- 03 n. 19 ( 3d C i r . 1998) )

. B eca us e w e l ook att he defe ndant ’ s s ubj ect i ve i nt ent , “the l ack of an ac tual m i nori s not a d e f e n se to a c h a rg e o f

a ttem p ted p e r s u a s io n , ind u c e m e n t, ent i cement , orcoer ci on of a mi nori n vi ol at i on of § 2422. ” I d. at468- 69. 3 I n t hi s cas e, N es t or evi nced hi s i nt ent t o vi ol at e § 2422( b) i n hi s e- m ai l s and p h o n e conver s at i ons . W e w i l l notbur den r eade r s w i t h t he det ai l s of N es t o r’s i nt er act i ons w i t h O ffi cer7 J ones and A gentL aus t er i n t hei rr ol e as s t epfa t hert o t he y oung v ict im N esto r so u g h t, b u t i t i s ab u n d an tl yclea r fro m the re co rd t hatN es t orw as d eterm i ned t o m eetand have s ex w i t h a chi l d. T he ques t i on t hen bec om es w hetherN es t ort ook a s ubs t ant i al s t ep t ow ar d t hat end, us i ng m eans of i nt er s t at e comm er ce. T he answ er agai n is cl ear. H e po st ed an advert i sem ent on C rai gsl i st se e k in g se x u a l co n tac t w ith c h ild re n . H e in ter a c ted re p e a ted ly w i t h a m an w h o r es ponded t o hi s ad and, bye- m ai l and t e l e p h o n e , d i s c u s s e d h a v i n g s e x u a l c o n t a c twi t h c h i l d r e n . He arr anged a r endez vous fort he s exual encount erand di s cu sse d w ay s to avo i d p oli ce detect i on . Indi vidual l y , each o f t hese act i ons coul d cons t i tut e a s ubs t ant i al s t ep t ow ar d t he vi ol at i on of § 2422( b) ; w hen exam i ned t ogether , t her e i s no ques t i on t hat N es t orus ed means of i nt er s t at e comm er ce, namel yt he i nt ernet and te l ephone s ervi ces , t o t ake a s ubs t ant i al s t ep t ow ar ds p e rsu a d in g , in d u c in g , e n ticin g , o r c o e rc in g a c h ild to e n g a g e in sex u al ac ti v ity . T h u s, u n d er Tykars ky , i ti s of no m om entt hat N es t orneverdeal tdi r ect l y w i t h hi s i nt ended chi l d vi ct i m . 446 F. 3d 468- 69 ( “[W ] e hol d t hatt he l ack of an actual m i nori s not a d e f e n s e to a c h a rg e o f

a ttem p ted p e rsu a sio n , in d u c e m e n t, ent i cementorcoer ci on of a mi nori n vi ol at i on of § 2422( b)

. ”) I n s uppor t of hi s ar gum ent t hat he cann o t be convi ct ed beca us e he had no di r ectcont actw i t h a chi l d ors om eone pos i ng a s a c h ild , N e s to r c o n te n d s th a t th e te rm s “ p e rs u a d e ,” “ in d u c e ,” “ent i ce, ” and “ coer ce” al l cont empl at e di r ectcomm uni cat i on b e t we e n t h e a c t o ra n d t h e p e r s o n b e i n g a c t e d u p o n . E v e n i f we w e re to a c c e p t th a t li m itatio n o n th e ter m s in § 2 4 2 2 (b ), an d itT he t erm “per s uade, ” forexampl e, m eans “( 1) t o m ove 4 byar gum ent , entr eaty , orexpos tul at i on t o a bel i ef, pos i t i on, or co u rse o f a cti o n ; ( 2 ) t o p lead w ith

. ” M erriam -W eb ster’s C ol l egi at e D i ct i onary865 ( 10t h ed. 1993)

. I t i s notatal l evi dent t hatper s uas i on, s o defi ned, r equi r es di r ectcomm uni ca ti on. B u sine sses an d ind ividu als re g u larl ysee k to p ersu ad e o thers t hr ou gh a dv e r t i s i ng i nt e r medi a r i e s a nd ne go t i a t i ng a ge nt s. S e x u a l p re d a to rs c a n a n d d o – a s th is c a se sh o w s – a ttem p t to per s uade c hi l dr en t o eng ag e in s exual act i vi t yt hr ough t he v ic tim ’s p a re n ts o r g u a rd ia n s . 8 is b yn o m e a n s c lea r w e w o u ld , N e sto r w o u ld s ti ll b e g u ilty 4 beca us e, agai n, he w as convi ct ed of a c r i m e of a t t empt
. H e t ook s ubs t ant i al s t eps cal cul at ed t o puthi m i nt o di r ectcont act w i t h a chi l d s o t hathe coul d carr youthis c lear int entt o per s uade, i n d u c e , e n t i c e , o rc o e r c e t h e c h i l d t o e n g a g e i n s e x u a l a c t i v i t y. T hus , t hough he neve rco m m u n icat ed di r ect l yw i t h a chi l d, he t ook s ubs t ant i al s t eps t hat he bel i eved w oul d al l ow hi m t o do s o, a n d h e is th e re f

o re g u ilty o f

a n a tte m p t u n d e r § 2 4 2 2 (b ). W hi l e n o tn e c e s s a r yt o o u ra n a l y s i s , we n o t e t h a tt he legi s l at i ve hi s t or yof the s t atut e, pol i cycons i der at i ons , and comm on s ens e s uppor t our r eadi ng of § 2422( b)

. Subse ct i on ( b) w as or i gi nal l yadded t o § 2422 by t he Tel ecomm uni cat i ons A ct o f 1 9 9 6

. P u b

. L
. No
. 1 0 4

- 1 0 4 , § 5 0 8 , 1 1 0 S t a t
. 5 6 ( 1 9 9 6 )

. T wo y e a rs la ter , tha t su b se c tio n w a s a m e n d e d a s p a rt o f th e C h ild P ro tec tio n a n d S e x u a l P re d a to r P u n ish m e n t A c t o f 1 9 9 8 , a b ill t hatw as des cr ibed as “ a compr ehens i ve r es pons e t o t he h o rrif y in g m e n a c e o f

se x c rim e s a g a in st c h ild re n , p a rticu lar ly as s aul t s fac i l i t at ed by comput er s . ” H
. R
. R ep. N o. 105- 557, at109 ( 1998)

. T hats t atut e s oughtt o addr es s comput er - r el at ed cr i m es a g a in st c h il d re n “ b yp ro v id in g law e n f o rc e m e n t w ith th e to o ls i t needs t o i nves t i gat e and br i ng t o j us t i ce t hos e i ndi vi dual s w ho pr eyon ournat i on’ s chi ldr en. ” I d. T h e a m e n d m e n t to § 2 4 2 2 (b ) w a s t h u s p a rt o f a n o v e ra ll p o licyto a g g re ss iv e ly c o m b a t co m p u ter -re late d se x c rim e s a g a in st c h ild re n . It w o u ld b e w h o lly in c o n sis ten t w ith th e p u rp o se a n d p o licy o f th e sta tu te to a l l ow sexual predat ors t o u se adulti nterm ediar i es t o shie ld t hemsel ves fr om pr os ecut i on. I n addi t i on, i t i s a mat t erof comm on s ens e t o r ecogni ze t hatt her e ar e chi l dr en t oo y oung t o us e comput er s orunder s t and ho w t o co m m un i cat e ov er the int ernetbu t w ho are nevertheles s t ar get ed bypedophi l es . B eca us e a s exual pr edat orl i ke N es t or cannotr eac h t hos e vi ct i m s di r ect l y , he w i l l of nec es s i t ygo t hr o u g h o l deri nt erm edi ar i es , and thos e i nt erm edi ar i es w i l l oft en be, as i n t hi s cas e, adul t s . T o acc eptN es t or ’ s r eas oni ng and s ay th a t co n tac t th ro u g h a n a d u lt i n ter m e d iar yra th e r th a n d ire c tly w i t h a c h il d m eans t her e has been no c r i m e w oul d be t o pl ace b e y o n d th e re a c h o f

§ 2 4 2 2 (b ) th o se w h o p re y o n th e p a rticu lar ly y ou n g . H i nder i ng l aw enfor cementeff or t s t o pr ot ectan es peci al l yvul ner abl e cl as s of chi l dr en i s , gi ven the l anguage and h isto ryo f

th e sta tu te, a n o b v io u slyill o g ica l re su lt. I I I . C onc l us i on B eca us e N es t orvi ol at ed 18 U

. S. C

. § 2422( b) by us i ng an adul ti nt erm edi aryt o at t empt t o per s uade, ent i ce, i nduce, or coer ce a chi l d t o engage i n s exual acti v it y , w e w i l l aff i r m t he ju d g m e n t o f

th e D is tr ic t C o u rt
.