Rochester Man Sentenced in Child Pornography Case

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Douglas C. Tatner, II, 33, of Rochester, New York, who was convicted of possession of child pornography, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and 12 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who handled the case, stated that a search warrant was executed at Tatner’s former residence on Glide Street in Rochester by members of the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force in January 2012. The warrant was issued after a witness reported seeing images of child pornography depicting children 12 years old and younger on the defendant’s computer. Tatner admitted to possessing images of child pornography, some of which depicted pre-pubescent minors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, which includes the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Sheppard.

Robbery of Comerica Bank Branch in Houston

The FBI’s Bank Robbery Task Force needs your help to identify a woman decked in denim who robbed the Comerica Bank branch located at 12727 East Freeway, Houston, Texas, on Friday, June 21, 2013.
At approximately 4:35 p.m., a woman entered the bank and presented a threatening note to a teller. No weapon was displayed. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, she was observed leaving as the passenger in a maroon Nissan Altima. No one was physically hurt during the bank robbery.
The bank robber is described as a Hispanic female in her middle 20s and is approximately 115 pounds with a thin build. She had red or purple hair that was possibly a wig, and she wore a black or red Chicago Bulls cap, blue denim jacket, and blue denim pants. Bank surveillance photographs are at the end of this press release.
Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging and arrest of this robber, or any felony suspect. If you have information about this crime, please call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or the Houston Office of the FBI at 713-693-5000.

Knoxville Resident Sentenced to 20 Years for Using Bomb During Bank Robbery

KNOXVILLE, TN—Gordon Harold Williams, 49, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced on June 19, 2013, to serve 20 years in prison, by the Honorable Thomas Varlan, U.S. District Court Chief Judge. Upon his release from prison, Williams will serve five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,546.
Williams pleaded guilty in July 2012 to the robbery of a BB&T Bank in Knoxville, Tennessee, in which Williams threatened bank tellers with a homemade bomb in a backpack.
According to a plea agreement on file with the U.S. District Court Clerk in support of the guilty plea, Williams confessed to having an explosive device in a backpack during the robbery. The device contained bottles of liquid accelerant, gun powder, bird shot, and metal screws and was designed to be detonated with additional liquid accelerant and a lighter. Williams obtained $1,546 from two bank tellers during the robbery.
Further investigation shortly after the robbery by Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force (FBI SSTF) and Knox County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Major Crimes Unit led to an improvised explosive device located at a Fountain City address. Knoxville Police Department Bomb Squad and Knoxville Fire Department HAZMAT both responded to the scene and recovered the explosive device. The device was sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
“These federal and local agencies collectively and effectively caused this individual to receive a serious sentence for a violent crime with multiple victims and the potential to cause great harm. We thank them for their efforts that keep us safe. With no parole in the federal system, Williams will serve this time, as he should. Others should note the consequences of these actions,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Killian
This matter was a joint investigation of the FBI SSTF and the KCSO Major Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lewen, Jr. represented the United States.

Travelers Rest Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Timothy Richard O’Brien, age 31, of Travelers Rest, pled guilty today in federal court in Anderson to possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on September 13, 2012, an FBI agent working in an undercover capacity was conducting an online investigation into individuals sharing child pornography with peer-to-peer software programs. The agent had taken over an account of a cooperating defendant. The agent queried the network of friends associated with the cooperating defendant and observed that O’Brien was logged on to the network. The agent downloaded 55 files from O’Brien. Fifty-four of these appeared to be child pornography. Further investigation revealed that the IP address used by O’Brien was associated with a residence in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.
Based on this information, the FBI in Greenville obtained a search warrant for O’Brien’s home. It was executed on October 26, 2012. The FBI seized the computers at the home and conducted a forensic examination of the items seized. Agents found multiple still images and videos of child pornography.
Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty O’Brien can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 10 years, plus a special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

FBI and Carlsbad Police Department Seek Public’s Assistance to Identify Silvergate Bank Robber

The FBI and Carlsbad Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the Silvergate Bank branch located at 5810 El Camino Real in Carlsbad, California, on Monday, June 17, 2013.
On Monday, June 17, 2013, at approximately 9:52 a.m., the Silvergate Bank branch located at 5810 El Camino Real in Carlsbad, California, was robbed by an unknown male armed with what appeared to be semi-automatic pistol.
At the time of the robbery, the robber entered the bank and ordered everyone to the ground while brandishing a black semi-automatic pistol. The robber ordered two tellers to place money inside a black attaché case he was carrying. After receiving a sum of money, the robber fled the bank and may have driven away in a vehicle parked a short distance away.
Witnesses describe the robber as follows:

• Sex: Male
• Race: Black
• Height: Approximately 6’0” tall
• Weight: 175-195 pounds
• Hair: Bald head and beard
• Build: Athletic
• Age: Mid-30s
• Clothing: White long-sleeved dress shirtl dark, striped tie; dark slacks; black glove worn on left hand; dark material covering lower part of his face; and black sneakers. He carried a black, soft-covered case with a shoulder strap
• Weapon: Black semi-automatic pistol

Bank surveillance photographs from the Silvergate Bank, 5810 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, California, on Monday, June 17, 2013, at approximately 9:52 a.m.:

FBI Announces the 499th and 500th Additions to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced today the additions of Jose Manuel Garcia Guevara, aka “Pelón,” an alleged murderer and rapist, and Walter Lee Williams, an alleged child sex predator, to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. These men represent the 499th and 500th additions to the list, respectively. The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was established in March 1950. Since then, 469 fugitives have been apprehended or located, 155 of them as a result of citizen cooperation.
Jose Manuel Garcia Guevara allegedly murdered a 26-year-old woman in the presence of her 4-year-old stepson in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in 2008. Guevara and the victim lived in the same mobile home park. Guevara allegedly broke into the victim’s home, raped her, and brutally stabbed her to death. The state of Louisiana, Calcasieu Parish, 14th Judicial District Court, charged Guevara with second-degree murder, aggravated rape, and aggravated burglary, and a state warrant was issued for his arrest on April 17, 2008. A federal arrest warrant was issued on October 1, 2009, by the United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana, after Guevara was charged federally with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Guevara is a white (Hispanic) male, 5’6” to 5’8” tall, weighing 160 to 180 pounds with black or dark brown hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo of the letter J on his shoulder. Guevara has been employed as a laborer. He was born on February 11, 1988, in La Boquilla, Rioverde, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Guevara is believed to be in Mexico but may have traveled to the United States using fraudulent documentation.
Walter Lee Williams, a former university professor, is wanted for the alleged sexual exploitation of children and for traveling abroad for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual acts with children. On April 30, 2013, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Williams in the United States District Court, Central District of California, Los Angeles, California, after he was charged with sexual exploitation of children, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, and criminal forfeiture. Williams is a white male, 5’9” tall, weighing 180 pounds with grayish-brown hair and brown eyes. Williams was born on November 3, 1948, in Durham, North Carolina.
Williams has previously resided in Palm Springs, California. He was affiliated with a religious organization known as the Buddhist Universal Association in Los Angeles, California. Williams has an extensive history of travel throughout the South East Asia region, specifically the Philippines. He has reportedly resided in Indonesia, Polynesia, and Thailand. Williams is also alleged to have owned property in Thailand. He may also travel to Mexico and Peru.
As the newest additions to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of either of these subjects.

Tampa Man Charged with Enticement of a Minor

Daphne Hearn, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the San Diego FBI Field Office, announces federal charges of enticement of a minor have been filed against Tony Mc Leod of Tampa, Florida. Mc Leod has been charged with violating Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2422 (b)-enticement of a minor.
According to the federal complaint filed in this matter with the United States District Court, Southern District of California, case number 13mj2301, Mc Leod allegedly engaged in conduct with an individual under the age of 18 years for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual activity.
According to the federal complaint, on June 10, 2013, the Escondido Police Department responded to a report of a 14-year-old missing child (victim). A review of the victim’s phone revealed the victim to be in contact with an individual named “Tony” at an 813 area code. This review revealed texts between Tony and the victim. Additionally, Tony sent the victim photographs and a video of himself.
Due to the exigency of the situation involving a missing child, the service provider provided the subscriber to the 813 telephone number as Tony Mc Leod, Tampa, Florida. It was also learned that Mc Leod had changed his telephone number. Based upon the new information, the Escondido Police Department was able to locate Mc Leod in the vicinity of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and determined that Mc Leod, along with a “Justin Mc Leod” with the same date of birth as the victim, was on a flight from LAX to Tampa, Florida.
On the morning of Tuesday, June 11, 2013, based upon information provided by the Escondido Police Department, law enforcement officers in Tampa, Florida, recovered the victim and arrested Mc Leod as they exited the plane. Mc Leod remains in law enforcement custody in Tampa, Florida.
The FBI, through its Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI), works with local law enforcement agencies across the country to reduce the occurrences of child sexploitation. The mission of the IINI is to reduce the vulnerability of children to acts of sexual exploitation and abuse that are facilitated through the use of computers; to identify and rescue child victims; to investigate and prosecute sexual predators who use the Internet and other online services to sexually exploit children for personal or financial gain; and to strengthen the capabilities of law enforcement to protect children.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California, headed by U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy.
A complaint itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Central Coast Man Arrested for Possessing, Receiving, and Distributing Child Pornography

A San Luis Obispo man was arrested last week on federal charges alleging he received, possessed, and distributed child pornography, announced Bill Lewis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, and Andrė Birotte, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Central District of California.
Bruce Klickstein, 59, was arrested Wednesday, June 12 by FBI agents without incident after being named in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury. During his initial court appearance on Thursday afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles, Klickstein was released to serve home detention pending trial. A trial date is scheduled for August 6 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
During 2012, agents joined an investigation that was being conducted by the Arroyo Grande Police Department (AGPD). AGPD detectives who were conducting an undercover investigation online suspected that Klickstein was in possession of child pornography. Detectives later obtained a search warrant for Klickstein’s residence, where they found at least one computer that contained child pornography.
The indictment charges Klickstein with the possession, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. If convicted on all charges, Klickstein faces a statutory maximum sentence of 50 years in prison (20 each on distribution and receipt; 10 for possession).
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is urged to contact the FBI or the Arroyo Grande Police Department.
This continuing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Arroyo Grande Police Department. Klickstein also faces state charges by the District Attorney in San Luis Obispo County. Klickstein is being prosecuted federally by the United States Attorney’s Office.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.
Media Contact:

• FBI Press Relations: 310-996-3343
• United States Attorney’s Office: 213-894-6947
• Arroyo Grande Police Department: 805-473-5126

Former University Professor Charged in California with Engaging in Sexual Conduct with Minors and Producing Child Pornography

WASHINGTON—Walter Lee Williams, a former university professor, has been indicted for allegedly engaging in sexual conduct with minors and producing child pornography, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director Ronald T. Hosko of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division announced today.
Today, the FBI added Williams to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, making him the 500th addition to the list.
Williams was charged in an indictment unsealed on Friday, June 14, 2013, in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California. The indictment, which was filed on April 30, 2013, charges Williams with one count of producing child pornography, one count of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.
The indictment alleges Williams traveled from Los Angeles to the Philippines in January 2011 to engage in sex acts with two 14-year-old boys he met online in 2010. Prior to his travel, Williams allegedly engaged in sexual activity via Internet webcam sessions with these boys and expressed a desire to visit them in the Philippines to have sex. While in the Philippines, he allegedly engaged in sex acts with both boys and produced sexually explicit photos of one of the boys. Williams fled the Los Angeles area approximately one week after returning from the Philippines.
Williams is a 64-year-old white male. He is 5’9” tall, weighs approximately 180 pounds, and has grayish-brown hair and brown eyes. Williams has previously resided in Palm Springs, California, and he was affiliated with a religious organization known as the Buddhist Universal Association in Los Angeles. Williams has an extensive history of travel throughout the Southeast Asia region, specifically the Philippines. He has reportedly resided in Indonesia, Polynesia, and Thailand. Williams is also alleged to have owned property in Thailand. He may also travel to Mexico and Peru.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of this subject, the newest addition to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. This is an ongoing investigation.
Trial Attorneys Michael Grant and Herbrina Sanders from the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting this case. The FBI Los Angeles field office is investigating the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Political Consultant Arrested on Federal Child Pornography Charges

ALBUQUERQUE—Jason Loera, 44, a political consultant and former resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was arrested Friday in Los Angeles, California, by the FBI. Loera’s arrest was based on an indictment alleging child pornography charges that was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. Loera made his initial appearance in federal court in Los Angeles earlier this afternoon. Loera was released on a $20,000 bond and under electronic monitoring and was ordered to report to the federal court in Albuquerque to face the charges in the indictment.
The three-count indictment charges Loera with two counts of receiving visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to the indictment, Loera allegedly committed these offenses in September 2009 and February 2010 in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
If convicted of the offenses alleged in the indictment, Loera faces a maximum sentence of not less than five years or more than 20 years in prison. Loera also would be required to register as a sex offender. Charges in indictments are merely accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque Division of the FBI and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

Brentwood Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography

OAKLAND, CA—Kyle Robert James was sentenced yesterday to eight years in prison for possessing and distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Criminal Division announced.
James pleaded guilty on December 17, 2012, to both possessing and distributing child pornography. James first came to the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on May 13, 2010, when he distributed images and videos of child pornography to an undercover FBI agent using a peer-to-peer computer program. On November 1, 2010, James again distributed images and videos of child pornography to an undercover FBI agent. On May 4, 2011, the FBI searched James’ home pursuant to a federal search warrant and seized computers and external storage media. A forensic examination of the seized items revealed tens of thousands of child pornography files on the computer. The forensic examination also uncovered numerous chats by James with other traders of child pornography.
James, 27, of Brentwood, was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 25, 2012. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken. In addition to his prison sentence, James was sentenced to a 10-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lewis and Trial Attorney Mi Yung Park of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.

Bank Robber Known as the ‘Insistent Bandit’ Pleads Guilty to Six Counts of Bank Robbery

Steve Edward Ruby, the serial bank robber known as the “Insistent Bandit,” pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge William Q. Hayes to six counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery.
In one of the robberies, Ruby was seen riding a woman’s red mountain bike and wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt with the slogan “Bite Me.” He was known for approaching tellers with a loud and demanding tone, often lifting his shirt to reveal a gun tucked inside his waistband and insisting, “I am armed. I have a gun. Give me all your money.”
In his plea agreement, Ruby admitted he robbed the same bank—Pacific Western Bank located at 9955 Mission Gorge Road in Santee—two times in January, taking a total of $3,103. When he attempted to rob the same bank a third time on February 14, 2012, tellers recognized him and refused to let him in.
In the first robbery, Ruby admitted he told the teller, “This is a robbery. I am not kidding. I have a gun. I’ll shoot [use] it. Give me all your loose money.” When he returned the second time, the plea agreement said, he terrorized the same teller, saying in a loud voice, “We’re going to do this again. Give me all your loose bills starting with your third drawer and no bait.”
Ruby also admitted to robbing four additional banks in February, including the Home Bank of California located at 875 Garnet Avenue in San Diego, taking a total of $607; U.S. Bank at 9643 Mission Gorge Road in San Diego, taking a total of $1,211; a different branch of the Pacific Western Bank located at 368 Broadway in El Cajon, taking a total of $1,432; and the Wells Fargo bank located at 6670 Montezuma Road, in San Diego, taking a total of $9,903. The grand total was $16,246.
Ruby is scheduled to appear for sentencing before Judge Hayes on September 3, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.
Ruby had an accomplice, Spiros Romensas, who acted as Ruby’s getaway driver during two of the February bank robberies. Romensas was convicted of two counts of aiding and abetting bank robbery on April 18, 2013, after a jury trial. Romensas is scheduled to appear for sentencing before Judge Hayes on July 15, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.
Ruby was caught after FBI agents issued an alert for a maroon truck seen leaving the banks after a number of the robberies. A sheriff’s deputy conducting other business at the A-American Storage facility on Greenfield Drive in El Cajon saw what he believed to be the maroon truck parked at the storage facility and contacted the managers of the business to determine the truck’s owner.
The managers identified Romensas as the owner of the truck and identified Romensas’ friend, Steve Ruby, as a frequent passenger in the truck.
The driver’s license photo of Ruby matched the bank surveillance photos of the robber. Surveillance footage taken on February 21, 2012, from A-American Storage depicts Ruby loading a red bicycle into the back of Romensas’ truck while wearing a white shirt with the words “Bite Me” on it in big red lettering.
Ten minutes later, Ruby was captured on surveillance footage from the Pacific Western Bank riding a red bike up to the bank, wearing the “Bite Me” shirt while robbing the bank.
Defendants in Case Number: 12CR1073-WQH
Steve Ruby
Age: 54
El Cajon, California
Spiros Romensas
Age: 53
La Mesa, California
Summary of Charges
Counts one through seven: Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a)—bank robbery and attempted bank robbery
Maximum penalties: 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
Investigating Agencies
Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force

Defendant Sentenced to 15 Years for Distribution of Child Pornography

OAKLAND—Clyde Craig was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.
Craig pleaded guilty on January 7, 2013, to distribution of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Craig admitted to distributing over the Internet images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct with another person. Craig, 56, of San Ramon, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 12, 2012.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong following a guilty plea on count one of the indictment in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). Judge Armstrong also sentenced the defendant to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered him to register as a sex offender and to participate in a sex offender treatment program.
Rodney C. Villazor is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.

New York Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Possessing Images of Child Sexual Abuse

NEWARK, NJ—A New City, New York man and former employee of a New Jersey country club was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for possessing images on his computer of children being sexually abused, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
John C. Zerega, 55, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to a one-count information charging him with possession of child pornography. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
As early as October 19, 2011, Zerega downloaded videos and images of child pornography on the Internet via peer-to-peer file sharing software. On December 20, 2011, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Zerega’s residence and seized his laptop computer, which contained numerous pictures and videos depicting child pornography, including pictures of prepubescent children engaging in sexual activity and being sexually abused.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Zerega to 10 years of supervised release and required him to get mental health testing and treatment. Zerega also must register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI Newark Division’s Cyber Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division.

Frederick and Carey Gonzales Plead Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Charges

ALBUQUERQUE—Frederick Gonzales, 42, and his wife Carey Gonzales, 36, both of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded guilty this morning to federal child pornography charges announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales; New Mexico Attorney General Gary K. King; Carol K.O. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI; and Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston.
Frederick and Carey Gonzales were arrested on state child pornography charges on January 11, 2013. At that time, Frederick Gonzales was the incoming president of Albuquerque’s Young America Football League (YAFL), and Carey Gonzales was employed as a kindergarten teacher’s aide by the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS). Shortly thereafter, the YAFL removed Frederick Gonzales from his position with the organization and APS fired Carey Gonzales. The couple subsequently was arrested on criminal complaints alleging federal child pornography charges on January 18, 2013, by members of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Frederick and Carey Gonzales were indicted on February 6, 2013. The six-count indictment charged Frederick Gonzales with three counts of receipt of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and two counts of possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to the indictment, Frederick Gonzales committed these offenses in Bernalillo County between July 2012 and January 2013. The indictment charged Carey Gonzales with one count of possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and alleged that she committed the offense in Bernalillo County in January 2013.
Court filings reflect that the charges against Frederick and Carey Gonzales were the result of an undercover investigation that was initiated by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office in September 2012 and identified an IP address subscribed to Frederick Gonzales as one that was used to possess, receive, and distribute child pornography. As a result of the investigation, on January 11, 2013, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the Gonzales residence and seized computers and computer-related media that contained videos and images consistent with child pornography.
This morning, Frederick Gonzales entered a guilty plea to count one of the indictment charging him with receipt of child pornography. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he will be sentenced to 97 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Gonzales also will be required register as a sex offender. In entering his guilty plea, Frederick Gonzales admitted that, on January 11, 2013, he voluntarily participated in a recorded interview during which he admitted watching child pornography videos. He also admitted that he had been downloading child pornography videos using a file sharing program for approximately six months.
Carey Gonzales entered a guilty plea to count six of the indictment charging her with possession of child pornography. Under the terms of her plea agreement, Carey Gonzales will be sentenced to 36 months in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. She also will be required to register as a sex offender. During her plea hearing, Carey Gonzales admitted that she too participated in a voluntary recorded interview while the search warrant was being executed at her residence on January 11, 2013. During that interview, Carey Gonzales admitted watching child pornography videos that her husband downloaded and saved.
Frederick Gonzales has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. Carey Gonzales was remanded into federal custody after entering her guilty plea. She too will remain in custody pending her sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlyn E. Rees and was investigated by the following members of the New Mexico ICAC Task Force: the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI, and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Lab.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
The case also was brought as part of the New Mexico ICAC Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 64 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies associated with the ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.

Buffalo Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Kevin Baron, 43, of Buffalo, New York, who was convicted of possession of child pornography, was sentenced to 168 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that on March 9, 2012, the defendant possessed images of child pornography on his personal computer and on DVDs. A forensic analysis of the computer and discs revealed in excess of 600 images of child pornography. The analysis also revealed that a privacy and cleaning software had been installed and was run on February 18, 2012 and February 28, 2012. Some of the images contained depictions of violence against children.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, along with officers of the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief David Zack, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda. Additional assistance was provided by the Western New York Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, which conducted the forensic analysis of the computer.

Justice Department Recognizes Nine Individuals for Child Protection Efforts at Missing Children’s Day Ceremony

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department today paid tribute to nine individuals for their extraordinary efforts to recover missing children, rescue children from abuse, and prosecute sexual predators during its annual commemoration of National Missing Children’s Day.
“The achievements of these honorees and the stories behind them remind us that it takes someone very special to do the work that they do,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West. “Days, weeks, months, and, as we saw in Cleveland last week, even years can pass between a child’s disappearance and her recovery. It takes tremendous faith, but more importantly, it takes incredible resolve and resourcefulness to pursue those cases to certain resolution.”
“As our Missing Children’s Day honorees demonstrate, community members who remain alert and respond, rescue children every day,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Mary Lou Leary. “Through support for programs such as AMBER Alert and Internet Crimes Against Children task forces, our office remains committed to assisting communities across the country in protecting the lives and safety of children.”
Other speakers included Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Administrator Robert L. Listenbee; child protection advocate Heather Bish, whose sister Molly Bish was abducted from her lifeguard job and later found murdered; and John Ryan, president and CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The nearly 300 ceremony attendees included families of missing children, child advocates, and others who support programs to recover missing children.
“On this day each year, we pause for a few moments to remember those children who are lost and the families who have been torn apart apart by this unspeakable tragedy,” said OJJDP Administrator Listenbee. “We are also here today to celebrate those children and families who have been reunited and to honor the dedicated citizens who work tirelessly to bring these missing children home.”
During the ceremony, Acting Associate Attorney General West presented the following awards:
Attorney General’s Special Commendation
Recognizes the extraordinary efforts of an Internet Crimes Against Children task force or affiliate agency for making significant investigative or program contributions. Recipients: Assistant District Attorney Eric R. Bellas, North Carolina’s 25th Prosecutorial District; Detective Scott Carico, Burke County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Casey Drake, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation; Selena Moretz, Burke County Child Advocacy Center; and Special Agent John D. Wydra, Jr., FBI, whose efforts led to the arrest and conviction of a North Carolina elementary school teacher who had been sexually molesting children and videotaping and photographing pornographic images of them for many years.
Missing Children’s Law Enforcement Award
Recognizes the extraordinary efforts of a law enforcement officer who made a significant investigative or program contribution to the safety of children.
Recipient: Detective Anjanette Biswell of the Quincy, Illinois Police Department, whose work as a computer forensic specialist led to the arrest and guilty plea of a man who was producing, downloading, and distributing pornographic images of two young relatives and other children in Quincy.
Missing Children’s Citizen Award
Honors the extraordinary efforts of private citizens for their unselfish acts to safely recover missing or abducted children.
Recipients: Brandy V. Hinesly and Casey Quillman, Walmart employees in Aberdeen, Washington, for their quick response that led to the rescue of a missing Arkansas teenager who was about to leave the country with her former boyfriend.
Missing Children’s Child Protection Award
Honors the extraordinary efforts of a law enforcement officer who made a significant investigative or program contribution to protect children from abuse or victimization.
Recipient: Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker for the Western District of Louisiana, who served as the lead prosecutor and a driving force behind Operation Delego, the largest child exploitation case ever prosecuted. His efforts resulted in more than 29 convictions, including a teacher, a police officer, and a high-ranking member of the military.
Esther Jung, a fifth grader from Edwin Rhodes Elementary School in Chino, California, received the award as the 14th winner of the Annual National Missing Children’s Day Art Contest.
President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25, 1983, the first National Missing Children’s Day to remember Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy who disappeared from a New York City street corner on May 25, 1979. Missing Children’s Day honors his memory and the memories of children still missing.
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. For more information about OJP, please visit www.ojp.gov.

Charlotte Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Possession and Transportation of Child Pornography

CHARLOTTE, NC—A Charlotte man was sentenced to 135 months in prison today for possession and transportation of child pornography, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert Bove, 55, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve 20 years under court supervision following his prison sentence and to register as a sex offender.
Joining U.S. Attorney Tompkins in making today’s announcement are John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Rodney D. Monroe of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
In April 2011, a federal criminal indictment charged Bove with one count of transportation and one count of possession of child pornography. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between September 2010 and February 2011, Bove transported and possessed videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children. Bove pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2011.
According to information contained in court documents and yesterday’s sentencing hearing, in September 2010, Bove was chatting online using the screen name “luvsyourlittlegirl” with a sergeant of the Sturgeon Bay Police Department (SBPD) in Wisconsin who was posing as a 42-year-old female. Court records indicate that during the online exchange, Bove sent the undercover officer an image of child pornography. The Wisconsin detective was able determine that luvsyourlittlegirl had sent the image of child pornography from a residence in Charlotte, and he forwarded the investigative materials to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. According to court records, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence, where they encountered Robert Bove, who admitted to police that he was luvsyourlittlegirl and that there was child pornography on his home computer. Filed documents indicate that law enforcement seized the computer and other electronic evidence, and a computer forensic examiner discovered videos and images of child pornography on Bove’s computer and flash drive. Court records indicate that the images and videos Bove possessed depicted children as young as toddlers engaged in sexual acts with adults.
In determining Bove’s sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. considered evidence presented at the sentencing hearing that Bove had been previously the subject of a child pornography investigation in Colorado. During that investigation, a detective in Colorado encountered Bove in a chatroom where child pornography videos were being broadcasted and viewed by members of the chatroom. Judge Conrad also considered chats between Bove and the undercover detective in Wisconsin, wherein Bove, posing as luvsyourlittlegirl, told the detective that he had seen child pornography videos in chat rooms five and six years ago and that it was “very exciting” and “very hot.”
Bove has been in local federal custody since April 2011. He will be transferred into the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole. The case resulted from the collaborative efforts of the Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Police Department; CMPD; and the FBI, all of which are members of their state Internet Crimes Against Children task forces.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Tompkins thanked the Sturgeon Bay Police Department for their assistance in this case.
The prosecution for the government of Bove was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

FBI and Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office Seek Fugitive Sex Offender

The Charlotte Division of the FBI and the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office are seeking the public’s assistance to locate a registered sex offender who cut off a tracking device after child pornography was found in his possession. James Brian Webb (born October 28, 1969), is facing federal charges of receipt of child pornography and state charges of felony sex offenses and violations of probation. Webb was last seen at his home in Concord, North Carolina on May 20, 2013, during a search of his residence. Officers later discovered child pornography images and issued warrants for Webb’s arrest.
Webb was wearing a GPS tracking device as the result of multiple sex offense convictions in North Carolina. He removed the tracker while in the town of Vale, North Carolina, at approximately 7:15 p.m. on May 20, 2013.
Webb is believed to be operating a gray 2006 Toyota Scion with North Carolina license plate BJT-9681.
Homeland Security Investigations and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety-Office of Adult Corrections are assisting in this ongoing investigation. If you see Webb or know where he is, call FBI Charlotte at 704-672-6100 or the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office at 704-920-3000.

James Brian Webb Race: White Height: 5’10” tall Weight: 270 pounds Hair: Brown Eyes: Blue