FORMER HOLLY SPRINGS MAN SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS
IN WESTERN N.C. FOR COERCION AND ENTICEMENT
OF A MINOR BY COMPUTER VIA THE INTERNET

Man Sentenced in Federal Court in Statesville on October 9, 2007

CHARLOTTE, NC - Frederick Stephen Klee, also known as "SERIOUSWOODY" and "WOODY IN RALEIGH," 42 years old, formerly of Holly Springs, North Carolina, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for using a computer via the Internet, to attempt to persuade an individual whom he believed had not attained the age of 18 years, to engage in sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert of the Western District of North Carolina.

Joining Shappert in today's announcement is Nathan Thomas Gray, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Operations in North Carolina, and Kevin West, Special Agent in Charge of the Computer Crimes Unit of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Defendant Klee was taken into custody on Monday morning, September 25, 2006 in Boone, North Carolina by Special Agents of the FBI, SBI and Officers of the Boone Police Department. Klee has continuously remained in federal custody. Klee's arrest followed a brief investigation conducted by an undercover law enforcement officer using an online persona of a single mother with a 10-year-old daughter.

On May 15, 2007, Klee pled guilty as charged. In sentencing the defendant, U.S. District Judge Richard Voorhees ordered that Klee's prison term be followed by an additional three years of supervised release. The court also ordered the defendant to register as a sexual offender. Klee remains in custody pending designation of the federal prison where he will serve his sentence.

United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert commended the work of North Carolina's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force on this case. The North Carolina ICAC is made up of local, state, and federal law enforcement, and is led by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation of the North Carolina Department of Justice. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In early 2006, the Justice Department launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani M. Ford.

FREDERICK STEPHEN KLEE
DOCKET NUMBER 5:06CR52-V
42 years old
Formerly of Holly Springs, NC