Prison is ordered in sex trafficking of two Kansas City girls

A Rhode Island man who partnered with a Kansas City man in child sex trafficking was sentenced Friday to 18 months in prison.

Thomas O’Brien, 56, was ordered to serve the sentence consecutively to a six-year sentence previously imposed in federal court in Rhode Island.

He paid more than $200,000 over a three-year period to watch numerous sexually explicit webcam sessions, facilitated by the Kansas City man, involving two juveniles.

O’Brien also traveled to Kansas City for a sexual encounter with one of the girls at a Kansas City hotel.

He was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court, where he previously pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted sex trafficking.

His co-defendant, 49-year-old Michael Dye of Kansas City, has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

Dye admitted using one child to produce child pornography that was distributed online to others, including O’Brien.

“Dye’s conduct in this matter involves a scheme whereby he profited extensively through the serial sexual exploitation of at least two minor females beginning in June of 2005,” prosecutors wrote in court documents.

According to the terms of O’Brien’s plea agreement, he and Dye began communicating in 2005 and Dye introduced him to the two victims. O’Brien then began paying the victims in exchange for the webcam sessions.

In 2007, O’Brien traveled to Kansas City to have sex with one victim, and he spent $10,000 during a weeklong stay on gifts and entertainment for Dye and the two children.

Between 2005 and 2008, O’Brien spent more than $200,000, he estimated, to provide cash and gifts to the two children.

According to other court documents, some of the money was paid to the two girls as a “weekly allowance.” He also provided money for vehicles, appliances and remodeling projects at Dye’s house.

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Prison is ordered in sex trafficking of two Kansas City girls."