Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DAVID KEITH, a/k/a “David Wright,” a/k/a “David Lee Keith,” a/k/a “David Lee,” a/k/a “Lee David,” pled guilty this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan in Manhattan federal court to five counts stemming from his sexual exploitation of minors, related child pornography offenses, and making false statements to a federal agent concerning his abuse of children.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Through lies and trickery, David Keith lured a minor girl into his vehicle and then sexually abused her, videotaping his sick assault and exploitation. Protecting children from predators like Keith remains a critical priority for law enforcement, and we hope the victims here will take some measure of comfort in knowing that Keith has admitted to and been convicted of his abominable crimes.”
According to the Indictment, publicly filed documents, and statements made in court:
On at least one occasion in 2013, KEITH produced child pornography during his sexual abuse of a child. On October 13, 2013, KEITH approached three girls, approximately 12 to 14 years old, on the street, presented himself as part of the entertainment industry, and encouraged the girls to model for him. KEITH induced one of the girls to enter his vehicle, where he video recorded, among other things, himself engaging in forcible sexual conduct with her. KEITH threatened the victim not to tell anyone and told her that he had been watching her.
Just one day earlier, on or about October 12, 2013, KEITH, lured a young girl, approximately 8 to 9 years old, into his vehicle where he tricked her into removing some of her clothing and video recorded her exposed genitals.
In addition, for a period of at least two years, KEITH downloaded and possessed images and videos of child pornography.
During the investigation, KEITH made statements to federal agents, claiming he had an alibi for October 12 and 13. Those statements were proven false.
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KEITH, 39, of the Bronx, New York, was arrested on November 17, 2015, in the Bronx, New York, and has been in federal custody since. KEITH pled guilty today to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, one count of receipt of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and one count of making false statements involving sexual abuse of children, which carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
KEITH is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Nathan on March 10, 2017, at 1:00 p.m.
Mr. Bharara praised the extraordinary efforts of the FBI, and thanked the New York City Police Department Special Victims Unit and the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department for invaluable assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Podolsky and Stephen Ritchin are in charge of the prosecution.