ETHAN BROWN OF WADDINGTON SENTENCED FOR ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN LINCOLN

In October 2018, Ethan Brown, a 20-year-old resident of Station Road, Waddington, was sentenced to a total of ten years and two months in prison after being found guilty of serious online offenses involving the exploitation of minors. The case, which garnered significant attention, revealed disturbing details about Brown’s predatory behavior aimed at young boys across the United Kingdom.

Brown, who was only 16 years old at the time of the offenses, engaged in a calculated scheme to pose as a teenage girl on various social media platforms, including Facebook. His goal was to lure boys into sending explicit images and to encourage them to perform sexual acts on themselves. The victims ranged in age from as young as eight to 17 years old, highlighting the alarming breadth of his targeting.

Following a comprehensive investigation, Lincolnshire Police, in collaboration with the National Crime Agency, identified a total of 75 boys from different parts of the UK who had been contacted by Brown over an eight-month period. The investigation was meticulous and extensive, involving the recovery of digital evidence from Brown’s electronic devices, which included smartphones and computers. Authorities also linked his Facebook activity directly to his residential address, establishing a clear connection between his online actions and his physical location in Waddington.

Brown faced multiple charges, including causing and inciting children to engage in sexual exploitation and possession of indecent images of a child. In total, 25 separate prosecutions were brought against him. He pleaded guilty to these charges during a court hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on September 28. Following his guilty plea, he was released on bail until his sentencing hearing on October 26.

Detective Constable Wayne Pilkington, who led the investigation on behalf of Lincolnshire Police’s Child Sexual Exploitation Team, described the case as a lengthy and painstaking process. The investigation spanned more than three years and involved numerous steps, including interviews with the victims, forensic analysis of multiple electronic devices, and detailed reviews of digital material. The authorities also coordinated with law enforcement agencies in the United States to retrieve evidence from Facebook, which was crucial in building a comprehensive case against Brown.

Commenting on the case, Detective Constable Pilkington emphasized the importance of the meticulous investigative work involved, stating, “This was a lengthy and meticulous investigation which took more than three years in total to complete. This included interviews with the identified victims, forensic examination of multiple electronic devices, and the painstaking review of digital material. It also involved a number of lengthy enquiries with law enforcement in America in order to retrieve evidence from Facebook.” The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable minors from predators like Ethan Brown.