Independence man faces new federal child sex crime charges

An Independence man who already is accused of producing child pornography has been indicted by a federal grand jury on additional charges of child sexual exploitation involving five additional victims.

Travis Howard White, 24, was charged Thursday in an 11-count indictment, which replaces federal charges filed against White on May 10.

White is accused of enticing a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity from Feb. 5, 2016, to March 1, 2017.

The federal indictment also charged White with two counts of using the same victim to produce child pornography. In addition, White faces two counts of transferring obscene material of the child, including numerous pornographic images.

White is accused of receiving child pornography over the Internet. He also was charged with five counts of transferring obscene material to a minor under the age of 16, which occurred from August 2016 to January 2017. These charges are related to five additional child victims, according to the federal indictment.

The investigation began when authorities learned the victim was living with White. She told investigators that she met White online in January 2016, when she was 13 years old and living in Kansas. They began “sexting” and exchanging sexually explicit photographs, she said.

When she and her mother moved to Kansas City in September, they stayed at a hotel for a few days before her mother returned to Kansas and left her with White. The victim was placed in protective custody in early March, according to the indictment.

Investigators found numerous Facebook explicit messages between White and the victim.

This story was originally published June 2, 2017 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Independence man faces new federal child sex crime charges."