Former Missouri Youth Hockey Coach Sentenced to 75 Years for Recording His Sexual Abuse of 2 Minors Following HSI Kansas City Investigation

ST. LOUIS — U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk, on July 2, sentenced a former youth hockey coach who sexually abused two boys and recorded the abuse to 75 years in prison following a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City investigation.

James R. Lambert, 42, of Lake St. Louis, sexually abused one victim over 50 times between 2007 and 2018, starting when the victim was six years old. The sexual abuse occurred in St. Charles County and in other states and foreign countries where the victim was taken by Lambert. Lambert also recorded his sexual abuse of the victim on numerous occasions.

Lambert also admitted sexually abusing a second victim in St. Charles and St. Louis counties when that victim was between six and nine years old.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said Lambert displayed a “psychopathic level” of manipulation of his victims to keep them from disclosing the abuse and “true sadism” towards the children.

After the first victim came forward, an investigation discovered hundreds of files on Lambert’s electronic devices documenting his abuse of the second victim. They also found at least 1,185 files containing child sexual abuse material that Lambert obtained online.

Lambert pleaded guilty in February to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of receiving child pornography and one count of aggravated sexual abuse.

“This sentencing shows the magnitude of what can happen when predators commit these types of heinous crimes that exploits the most vulnerable among us,” said HSI Kansas City acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to eradicate child exploitation and protect our children from harm.”

This case was investigated by HSI, the Lake St. Louis Police Department, the St. Charles County Cybercrime Task Force and the Maryland Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.

“On behalf of the Lake Saint Louis Police Department we want to recognize all the hard work and effort put forth by our officers and staff, specifically Detective Sergeant Rick Frauenfelder and Detective Rebecca Hurwitz,” said Lake St. Louis Police Chief Chris DiGiuseppi. “We also appreciate our federal partners and the U.S. attorney's office, who helped us seek justice for this horrific crime. Protecting children from those who would commit such heinous acts is one of the fundamental principles of why we, in law enforcement, serve in the criminal justice system.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. attorneys' offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

Together with partners in law enforcement, state and local government, international counterparts, and nongovernmental organizations, the HSI workforce does heroic work to prevent these crimes, support those who are impacted by them, and hold perpetrators accountable.

HSI offers multiple options for virtual and in-person trainings to educate the public about the growing threats children and teens face online.

Learn more about HSI Kansas City’s mission to eradicate online child exploitation on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSIKansasCity.