Randy G. Massey, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on August 15, 2007, BRENDA LEA RUSSELL, age 27, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, received a sentence of 170 months’ imprisonment following her conviction for Conspiracy to Transport a Child in Interstate Commerce for Illegal Sexual Activity.

The Information to which RUSSELL pleaded guilty alleged that she and a co-conspirator, brought a child under the age of 13 years over state lines into the Southern District of Illinois on two occasions during the time period of August 2005 and March 2006 so that RUSSELL and the co­conspirator could engage in sexual conduct with the minor. The Information alleged that the co­conspirator took photographs of the sexual conduct between the minor child and RUSSELL

RUSSELL pleaded guilty to the charges on November 3, 2006, pursuant to a cooperating plea agreement and a factual stipulation which is filed under seal pursuant to federal laws protecting the privacy of child victims. RUSSELL has been in federal custody since her guilty plea was accepted on November 3 rd . Following release from imprisonment, RUSSELL will be on supervised release for fifteen years and she will be required to register as a sex offender.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Scott Air Force Base, and the 280th Military Police Detachment, Criminal Investigative Division (CID), United States Army, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne M. Garrison.