Ex Baltimore City teacher facing life in prison for sex crimes against children
(Lewis Blandon, Booking Photo, Image credit: Maryland State Police)
On October 28, a federal grand jury indicted 35-year-old Lewis Ismael Blandon, aka “LordLewy” of Edgewood, Maryland, on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement, distribution/receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and transfer of obscene matter to a minor. Blandon is a former Baltimore City Public Schools music teacher.
Police reported that Blandon was employed as a music teacher at Woodhome Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City. Anyone with information about the accused or concerned about contact their child may have had with Blandon is urged to contact law enforcement at 410-265-8080. Callers may remain confidential. ~ Ace News Today
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his 18-count indictment, beginning in December 2020, Blandon operated several different social media accounts and a variety of aliases on these platforms to meet and/or communicate with minor males. Blandon allegedly used these aliases and social media platforms to persuade, induce, entice and coerce three minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct and to send Blandon images and video of that conduct during the victims’ online communications with Blandon.
The indictment alleges that Blandon, using an alias of “JaggRock,” also used an online messaging account to send images of what Blandon represented was his penis to one of the minor victims on three separate occasions.
Under the same username, Blandon also allegedly distributed and possessed other sexually explicit images and videos of minors, including a video depicting the sexual abuse of a toddler.
If found guilty, Blandon is looking at:
- a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor;
- a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for each of two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct;
- a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for four counts each of receipt of child pornography and distribution of child pornography;
- a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of three counts of possession of child pornography; and,
- a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each of three counts of transfer of obscene matter to a minor.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Basically though, if convicted of all charges, he’s looking at a minimum of 50 years and maximum of life in prison, according to WMAR News in Baltimore.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Blandon has been detained since he was arrested on related charges on October 13.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force, created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.
For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Also see: Baltimore elementary school teacher arrested on child porn charges
(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland)
~ Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
