A Captain Cook, Hawaii man has been sentenced to 41 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two Oregon children and distributing videos of the abuse online.
Benjamin Victor Houghton, 29, was sentenced to about 41 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. We will decide the amount of restitution he must pay to the victims later.
Court documents revealed that in late 2022, the FBI received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning a film portraying child sexual abuse.
A Homeland Security Investigations agent identified Houghton in another video of child abuse from August 2021.
Houghton came to Oregon twice between 2021 and 2022 to abuse the children and film the incidents.
Houghton gave virtual piano lessons to youngsters from Hawaii, using the sessions to induce them to do sexual activities that he recorded.
In February 2023, FBI investigators apprehended Houghton and seized computer devices, including 1,285 photos and 135 films depicting child sexual abuse.
On March 7, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Houghton on five counts, including employing a juvenile to create sexually explicit content and aggravated sexual abuse. He pleaded guilty to one count for each charge.
“Preying on children is unforgivable. Today’s lengthy sentence illustrates the heinous nature of Houghton’s conduct and sends a strong message to child predators that they will be held accountable,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the Eugene and Medford Branches of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Doug Olson, FBI Portland special agent in charge, emphasized the priority of investigating child sexual abuse material. “Houghton’s sentence for these heinous crimes will keep him from perpetrating more harm to children in our communities,” he said.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Portland and Honolulu Field Offices, as well as HSI.
The FBI asks anybody who has information regarding child exploitation to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit an online tip.