Child predator sentenced to more than 27 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor

FORT WORTH, Texas - United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced a Fort Worth man, who has a previous conviction for sexual offenses against a child, was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison for sexually exploiting a minor on Sept. 29.

Travis Jerrad McQuiston Reed, 34, pleaded guilty in April to one count of sexual exploitation of a child.

"The federal government has no tolerance for anyone who preys on children, and today's sentence reflects that reality," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. "Anyone who believes they can exploit a child in North Texas and escape accountability is gravely mistaken. In this District, federal law enforcement will find you, we will prosecute you and you will face a sentence measured in decades as the defendant is in this case. I am grateful to our partners at CBP and HSI for their swift work that stopped Reed from continuing to harm children."

"The steadfast vigilance of our CBP officers at the Port of Galveston directly interrupted a dangerous threat and set a comprehensive federal investigation into motion," said Acting Director of Field Operations Leslie Fleming-Luczkowski. "Thanks to the seamless collaboration between our frontline personnel, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Attorney's Office, a predator has been brought to justice with a significant federal sentence. We remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and dismantling child exploitation networks"

According to court documents, on or about Sept. 7, 2025, Reed enticed a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers encountered Reed as he re-entered the United States at the Port of Galveston, Texas, on Nov. 2, 2025. During a lawful inspection of his iPhone, officers discovered nude images of children and referred the device for forensic analysis. The subsequent review confirmed that Reed produced the child sexual abuse material in Fort Worth using the same device.

Court documents also show that Reed had a prior felony conviction for indecency with a child in Tarrant County, which subjected him to enhanced penalties.

Reed has also agreed to pay restitution, mandatory assessments and will be required to register as a sex offender upon release.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations Dallas conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem from the Fort Worth Division prosecuted the case.