03/02/2026
International OSAEC Perpetrator Pleads Guilty Following PNP-WCPC–FBI Collaboration; Six Child Victims Rescued
The Philippine National Police–Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) highlights a significant milestone in the global fight against Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) following the guilty plea of Bradley D. Hounsell, 44, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in a United States federal court. Hounsell has pleaded guilty to coercing and enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct; however, he has not yet been convicted. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14 at 1:30 PM in federal court.
The guilty plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the U.S. Department of Justice–Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
This development was made possible through close international coordination and intelligence sharing between the FBI and the PNP Women and Children Protection Center–Mindanao Field Unit (WCPC-MFU). The proactive referral and investigative findings of the PNP-WCPC were instrumental in identifying the perpetrators and safeguarding child victims.
The case traces its origins to a PNP-WCPC-led entrapment and rescue operation conducted on February 19, 2024, which included the implementation of a Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD). The operation resulted in the rescue of six (6) minor victims, representing a critical breakthrough in dismantling an OSAEC network operating within the Philippines.
According to the plea agreement and related court records, which serve as the source of the allegations, Hounsell communicated with a Philippine-based individual through a social media platform and repeatedly requested sexually explicit images and videos involving children. In November 2023, the local perpetrator informed Hounsell that she had access to a 13-year-old child. Court records state that Hounsell subsequently directed, financed, and requested the recording of the child’s sexual abuse. In exchange for payment through an online payment platform, Hounsell allegedly received videos depicting the sexual abuse of the child, produced in accordance with his instructions. Law enforcement analysis further indicates repeated and deliberate solicitations for sexualized content involving minors.
In a parallel development in the Philippines, the local perpetrator responsible for producing the child sexual abuse materials was convicted through a plea bargain agreement and sentenced to fifteen (15) years of imprisonment, underscoring the Philippine government’s firm commitment to the enforcement of Republic Act No. 11930 (Anti-OSAEC and Anti-CSAEM Act) and related laws.
These case developments in both the United States and the Philippines demonstrate the effectiveness of coordinated, cross-border law enforcement efforts in rescuing victims, securing digital evidence, and pursuing accountability for offenders, regardless of geographic boundaries. Final judgment against Hounsell remains subject to sentencing by the U.S. federal court.
The PNP-WCPC reiterates that OSAEC is a transnational crime requiring sustained international cooperation, advanced digital investigative capabilities, and unwavering resolve. The Center remains steadfast in its mandate to protect children, pursue perpetrators across borders, and seek justice for every victim.
The PNP calls on the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report any information related to online sexual exploitation of children, emphasizing that the protection of children is a shared responsibility and that timely reporting and cooperation can save lives.
