Auston McLain, 38, of Davenport, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison — followed by 10 years of supervised release, following a June 2023 conviction by a federal jury for attempted enticement of a minor and traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity.
Over two days of trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, the U.S. presented evidence establishing that from Nov. 10-14, 2020, McLain communicated with an individual he believed to be a minor about engaging in sexual activity, sent pornographic pictures to that person, asked for pictures in return, and then traveled from Iowa to Illinois with the intent to meet with the child and engage in sexual activity, according to a Wednesday Justice Department release.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Darrow found that McLain obstructed justice during the trial when he falsely testified about a variety of material issues.
McLain faced statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment, a possible fine of $250,000, and up to a five-year to life term of supervised release for attempted enticement. He faced up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a possible $250,000 fine, and a five-year to life term of supervised release for travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. McLain also must register as a sex offender.
He was initially released on bond and has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since March 2023.
The prosecution was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with the assistance of the Rock Island Police Department, the Macomb Police Department, the East Moline Police Department, and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanner Jacobs and Matthew Weir represented the U.S. government.
The case against McLain was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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