Barbara Renee Case, 39-year-old woman from Virginia, was sentenced in June 2011 to 30 months in federal prison.
Case, married mother with three children, met the 15-year-old boy online in December 2007, when she was 36 but originally portrayed herself as a 21-year-old. She only later told the boy that she was much older. Case met the boy through an online game called Runescape. After five months of sexually explicit conversations online and on the telephone, Case told her husband and three children that she was going on vacation but instead flew to Australia and had sex with the boy numerous times over 10 days at a cabin she rented in Bendingo. Case admitted having sexual intercourse with the boy at least eight times and performing oral sex on him three times. Case also admitted to photographing the two having sex, although the photos have not been recovered.
They were caught when the boy's parents became concerned and contacted police, and reported him missing.
In September 2008 Case sentenced in Bendigo County Court by Judge Tim Wood. She received 16 months in jail, suspended for two years, and was warned that she could serve the time if she committed additional offenses. She was also ordered to register as a serious sex offender.
Case was ordered home to America and on arrival was confronted by federal investigators and charged with one count of travelling to a foreign country to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
In the US, Case will also be required to register with the state as a sex offender.
