Ukrainian man, hockey coach charged in sex tourism case

Posted: 1/26/2012     Author: ICE

PHILADELPHIA — A Ukrainian hockey coach was charged Thursday with traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and transporting a person to

A shadow of a hockey player - Alexander Nemenov, AFP/Getty Images

engage in criminal sexual activity. The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Ivan Pravilov, 49, was arrested by ICE HSI agents Jan. 14, 2012. He was charged with committing sexual acts with a 14-year-old boy visiting the United States and attending hockey clinics.

If convicted, Pravilov faces up to 40 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.

Pravilov is in federal custody pending a detention hearing, scheduled for Friday. If the public has any information concerning Pravilov, they are requested to contact the ICE HSI office in Philadelphia at 215-717-4987.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers.

ICE HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or Cyber Tip Line.