KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Topeka, Kansas, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today after traveling to Missouri to meet a 14-year-old girl, who was actually an undercover FBI employee, for illicit sex.
William H. Reichart, 60, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Reichart on April 28, 2013, and includes additional charges.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, members of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force were engaged in covert chat sessions on platforms known to be frequented by adults with sexual fetishes, including adults attempting to lure children into sexual acts. An online covert law enforcement officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl, communicated with Reichart through a social media application.
Reichart engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the undercover law enforcement officer, the affidavit says, and sent pornographic images and video of himself. The affidavit says they made arrangements to meet in person for sexual contact. Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance of Reichart as he left his residence on April 27, 2023, and drove to the agreed-upon meeting location. When Reichart arrived for the meeting, he was arrested without incident.
Today’s indictment charges Reichart with one count of attempting to travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, and one count of attempting to transfer obscene material to minor.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
