Toledo Man Convicted of Sexual Offenses Against a Minor

TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted an Ohio man of attempting to entice and coerce a minor into illegal sexual activity and attempted production of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Derran Reebel, 52, of Toledo, was found guilty of committing criminal offenses that violate federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, from Oct. 10-15, 2020, Reebel used a social media application to communicate with a minor, namely, an undercover agent purporting to be a 14-year old girl. Evidence presented at trial to the jury included the defendant’s sexually explicit communications which were sent through the app’s messaging function in repeated attempts to persuade the minor into sending him sexually explicit photos and commit sexual acts.

In November 2024, Reebel was convicted of receiving and distributing CSAM, for nearly eight years, from about Jan. 1, 2014 through Aug. 17, 2022. During a federal search warrant execution of his residence, investigators found numerous CSAM items that included visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in his possession. Law enforcement officials also discovered that Reebel used social media for a number of years to chat with minors and send them sexually explicit messages and photos of himself.

Sentencing for both convictions has not yet been scheduled. Reebel faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI-Toledo. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.

This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s “Project Safe Childhood,” a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the initiative 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. For more information, visit justice.gov/psc.

To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.