Cartersville man sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography

Ian Alicea Prewett was sentenced to federal prison for enticing children to engage in sexual acts in order to produce child pornography.

“Prewett is a sexual predator who lured and victimized innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His prosecution and sentence are examples of our office’s unwavering commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable individuals like Prewett who attempt to exploit the anonymity of the Internet to sexually abuse vulnerable children.”

“This sentence represents a victory in the ongoing fight to protect our most vulnerable citizens – our children. “This predator who committed unspeakable atrocities against minors will now be brought to justice for the gravity of his crimes,” said Steven N. Schrank, acting special agent in charge who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and its law enforcement partners will continue to use all available resources to find, arrest and prosecute those who attempt to exploit children.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictments and other information presented in court: Ian Alicea Prewett uploaded sexually explicit digital images of minors to Instagram on various dates between 2020 and 2022. Although Prewett tried to hide his online identity, federal agents identified him as the person who uploaded the images and obtained a search warrant for his home in May 2023. During the search, officers discovered a cell phone that was linked to the Instagram accounts through which Prewett was distributing child pornography.

When officers executed the search warrant, Prewett was already awaiting trial in Cobb County, Georgia, on charges of statutory rape, child molestation and child enticement. These allegations arose from Prewett chatting with a 14-year-old girl on Instagram, asking her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself, and then engaging in sexual acts with her.

Prior to his arrest in May 2023, Prewett used social media to entice numerous minors to create sexually explicit material and engage in sexual acts. One of his victims was a minor under the age of eight living in the United Kingdom. Prewett instructed her to send him pictures and videos of herself engaging in sexual acts. Prewett also directed a minor from Mobile, Alabama, to do the same and later traveled to Alabama to meet, photograph and have sex with the minor.

Ian Alicea Prewett, 31, of Cartersville, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II to 20 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. Prewett was convicted of child sexual exploitation after pleading guilty on April 24, 2024.

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Ian Alicea Prewett has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. In connection with his guilty plea, Prewett admitted engaging in sexual acts with a minor under the age of 18 and enticing a child under the age of eight to produce sexually explicit images.

“Prewett preyed on innocent children by enticing them to send him sexually explicit images and then victimized two minors, including while traveling out of state, by sexually abusing those children,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K Buchanan. “This office remains true to our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute child sexual abusers who attempt to lurk behind the anonymity of the Internet.”

“Thanks to the dedication of our special agents and law enforcement partners, Prewett is no longer able to victimize children in our communities,” said Anthony J. Patrone, assistant special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta, covering Georgia and Alabama. “HSI will continue to advocate for justice for victims and hold child abusers accountable.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictments and other information presented in court: Ian Alicea Prewett uploaded sexually explicit digital images of minors to Instagram on various dates between 2020 and 2022. While he tried to hide his online identity, federal agents identified him as the person who uploaded the images in May 2023 and obtained a search warrant at his home. During the search, officers discovered a cell phone that was linked to the Instagram accounts through which Prewett was distributing child pornography.

Additionally, at the time the search warrant was executed, Prewett was awaiting trial on charges of statutory rape, child molestation, and child enticement in Cobb County, Georgia. These allegations stemmed from Prewett chatting with a 14-year-old girl on Instagram, asking her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself, meeting her at her school bus stop, having sexual intercourse with her, and then dropping her off at her school.

Prior to his arrest in May 2023, Prewett used social media to entice numerous minors to create sexually explicit material and engage in sexual acts. One of his victims was a minor under the age of eight living in the United Kingdom. Prewett instructed her to send him pictures and videos of herself engaging in sexual acts. Prewett also hired a minor from Mobile, Alabama, to do the same. Prewett later traveled to Alabama to meet, photograph and have sex with the minor.

Sentencing for Ian Alicea Prewett, 30, of Cartersville, Georgia, is scheduled for September 3, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II in Rome, Georgia.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Cobb County Police Department, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Wiltshire Police (UK).

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Calvin A. Leipold III are prosecuting the case.

This case is filed as part of the Safe Childhood Project. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices across the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to arrest and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov