West Virginia sex offender convicted after traveling to Mexico with intent of purchasing a child

A West Virginia man has pleaded guilty to failing to update his sex offender registration. Scott David Bixler did not contact authorities, as he is supposed to given his status, because he had traveled to Mexico with the intent of purchasing a child.

According to the Department of Justice, he sought to purchase a 7-year-old and was in possession of "two tranquilizer air guns, methamphetamine, a cell phone jammer, and $5,000 in cash." He had and managed to cross the southern border along with his wife, according to the DoJ, which charged him with the crime in September last year.

"It should be a relief to everyone, especially to parents of young children, knowing that someone as dangerous of Scott Bixler has been convicted and will be locked up for a long time," said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. "I'm grateful for the work of law enforcement to apprehend Bixler and bring him to justice."

Bixler now faces up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty. The case, investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Services and the West Virginia State Police, was brought as part of the "Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse."

"Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims," the Department of Justice said.