Two Men to be Sentenced in Separate Federal Child Pornography Cases

A retired Navy officer who worked for the Joint Strike Fighter program and a former missionary for New Tribes Mission are scheduled to be sentenced in separate child-sex exploitation cases this week in Orlando federal court.

The retired officer pleaded guilty last year to one child-pornography charge. Records indicate he confessed to using his government computer to copy hundreds of images of child pornography.

Authorities allege he visited several websites that feature child pornography and copied the images to several different hard drives.

Court records claim the devices contained hundreds of gigabytes of child pornography.

The man’s plea deal said some pictures portrayed bestiality.

He apparently wrote a letter to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children apologizing for his actions. He will be sentenced Monday.

On Tuesday, a man who worked for Sanford-based New Tribes Mission, will be sentenced in a separate case for producing child pornography of girls in the Amazon.

The man, who lived in New Jersey, fell under investigation after agents received a tip that he posted pictures on a website used by child pornographers.

Law enforcement officers detained the man at Orlando International Airport in May when he arrived from a flight coming in from Brazil, according to records.

According to court records, agents found more than 940 images of child pornography on the man’s external hard drive.

He admitted to police that he abused a girl in one picture and was responsible for photographing a second girl.

Authorities claim the sex abuse occurred when the man worked in Brazil and that the victims are part of an indigenous tribe.

He pleaded guilty to two child-pornography charges in September.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies alike take sex crimes against children very seriously. If you are the target of an investigation, law enforcement officers will use all of their resources to prove that you have illegal files on your computer and/or other electronic devices. They will stop at nothing to uncover every web site you visited and will work diligently to recover any hidden or deleted files. Make no mistake, these charges are extremely serious and must be dealt with accordingly. No matter what your situation, you need the assistance of a sex crimes defense attorney who can work aggressively to minimize the legal consequences you are facing.

Federal child pornography charges usually involve large amounts of child pornography. There is a mandatory minimum sentencing attached to these types of cases, which can be quite harsh, not to mention the damage it can have on your reputation, relationships and future career. Moreover, a conviction will require you to register as a sex offender, a label that will undoubtedly impact you for the rest of your life.

If you or someone you love is facing federal child pornography charges, please contact a Florida Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton to request a free and confidential consultation. Call us today statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529 or fill out an online evaluation form.