Ocean County School Bus Driver Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse Over Internet

TRENTON, NJ—An Ocean County, New Jersey school bus driver was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for distributing images of child sexual abuse over the Internet through his home computer, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Frank J. Bognar, 31, of Jackson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
As early as October 27, 2011, Bognar downloaded and distributed videos and images of child pornography on the Internet via a peer-to-peer file sharing network, through which others had access to the material on a shared drive. The FBI seized a computer containing videos and photographs of child sexual abuse, including images of sadistic and masochistic conduct against children, during a search of his residence on February 9, 2012. He was arrested later that day.
As part of his plea, Bognar agreed to surrender six firearms and assorted ammunition that were seized on the day of his arrest.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Pisano sentenced Bognar to 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force in New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato; the Jackson Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Matthew D. Kunz; and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office task force officers, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn Murray, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Clabby of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

Former Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Pornography

A man who distributed child pornography pled guilty on July 17, 2013, in federal court in Sioux City.
Patrick Persinger, age 38, formerly of Sioux City, was convicted of one count of distribution of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Persinger admitted that, between February 2011 and October 2011, he used the Internet to distribute child pornography.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Donald E. O’Brien will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Persinger remains in custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Persinger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and supervised release for five years to life following his imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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 United States 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

Kansas City Man Indicted for Child Sex Trafficking, Producing Child Pornography

KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Missouri man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child sex trafficking and producing child pornography as part of a scheme that generated more than $200,000 over a three-year period.
Michael Dye, 46, of Kansas City, was charged in a six-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Dye’s arrest and initial court appearance. Dye remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Monday, July 22, 2013.
The federal indictment charges Dye with two separate counts of producing child pornography. Dye allegedly victimized two minors, identified as Child Victim #1 and Child Victim #2, to produce child pornography between June 15, 2005 and August 18, 2008. The indictment also alleges that Dye prostituted Child Victim #2 between June 15, 2005 and August 4, 2007.
Dye is charged with two counts of selling child pornography related to each of the two child victims. Dye is also charged with one count of grooming Child Victim #1 to participate in illegal activity (the production of child pornography).
In a motion filed with the court today, the government seeks to have Dye detained in federal custody without bail. According to the government’s motion, Dye’s actions giving rise to these charges include his active and repeated sexual intercourse with the minor females, his production and sale of child pornography of the two minor females, and violent threats against at least one minor female should she ever inform anyone else of these incidents.
Dye allegedly profited extensively from the serial sexual exploitation of at least two minor females. In the course of this investigation, the government developed evidence that Dye used the minor females to produce child pornography for various customers. Dye allegedly exploited the two minor females to one particular individual, who—in exchange for multiple images and videos of child pornography and access to them for sexual favors—paid the two minor females a “weekly allowance,” as well as gifts in the form of multiple vehicles, remodeling projects at Dye’s home, various appliances, and other cash payments in a total amount estimated up to $200,000 over a three-year period. In addition, according to the government’s motion, PayPal records show Dye’s account received approximately $8,300, composed of hundreds of transactions from dozens of individuals ranging from $14 to $61. The government will present evidence that these payments were connected to Dye’s use of at least one of the minor victims for online “cam shows” in which the minor victim would expose herself and perform sexual acts on herself for the paying customers, who were watching online.
The government also will present evidence that, during the frequent deposit of these monies into his safety deposit box, Dye told one of the minor victims that if she ever told anyone about this he would have her and her family killed.
Under federal statutes, Dye faces a potential life imprisonment upon conviction of the sex trafficking counts, as well as up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the production of child pornography counts and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the sale of child pornography counts. Each of the two counts for the production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the FBI; the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force; the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department; the Platte County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Newport, Rhode Island Police Department; the Rhode Island State Police; the Winnipeg, Manitoba Police Service in Canada; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; the Crown’s Attorney’s Office in Canada; and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in the United Kingdom.

Boonville Man Sentenced for Attempting to Distribute Child Pornography

JEFFERSON CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Boonville, Missouri man has been sentenced in federal court for attempting to distribute child pornography over the Internet.
Paul E. Durham, 34, of Boonville, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan on Thursday, July 18, 2013, to seven years in federal prison without parole.
On February 11, 2013, Durham pleaded guilty to attempting to distribute child pornography over the Internet.
In December 2011, a detective with the Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force used an automated software program to browse and download suspected child pornography files through a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. Durham’s computer was identified as having child pornography available to share online. The file sharing program on Durham’s computer allowed him to obtain child pornography from other users and to share child pornography with others over the Internet.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on February 2, 2012, at the home of Durham’s mother, where he resided. They seized a laptop computer and an external hard drive. During an examination of the contents of the computer media, examiners found at least 52 images of child pornography and 17 movies of child pornography. There were images and video depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts with adults. One video depicted a young girl engaged in bestiality. Some of the material depicted children engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Boone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department; the Cooper County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department; the FBI; and the Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force.
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 United States 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

Tacoma Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking

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Ocean County Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

TRENTON, NJ—An Ocean County, New Jersey man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for possessing child pornography on his computer and an external hard drive, including images of children being sexually abused, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
William A. Burrows, 60, of Lacey, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with possession of child pornography. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Burrows admitted that from March 2011 to April 2012, he downloaded videos and images of child pornography. On or about April 12, 2012, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Burrows’ home and seized a desktop computer and external hard drive, which contained more than 600 images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors and sadistic or violent conduct involving minors.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark; and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Burrows to five years of supervised release, fined him $12,500, and ordered payment of $10,000 in restitution. He also ordered restricted contact with minors and computer-use monitoring and required Burrows to register as a sex offender.

Albuquerque Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison on Child Pornography Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE—Antonio Gallegos, 48, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was sentenced this afternoon to 188 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for his conviction for distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography. Gallegos will be required to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison sentence. Gallegos also was ordered to pay $500 in restitution to the victim whose image was at issue in his crime of conviction.
Gallegos’ sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales; Carol K.O. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI; and Chief Robert W. Shilling of the New Mexico State Police (NMSP).
Gallegos was arrested in April 2012 on a criminal complaint charging him with distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography, and he has been in federal custody since that time. In May 2012, Gallegos was indicted and charged with one count of distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography; three counts of receipt of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography. In July 2012, Gallegos entered a guilty plea to count one of the indictment charging him with distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography.
In entering his guilty plea, Gallegos admitted that from August 2011 through March 2012, he knowingly distributed and attempted to distribute child pornography through a peer-to-peer filing sharing program. Gallegos acknowledged that investigators with the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a search warrant at his residence in March 2012 and seized computers and computer-related media containing child pornography. The search warrant was based on a NMSP investigation that began in September 2011 and monitored Internet protocol (IP) addresses that appeared to be used to distribute, receive, and possess child pornography. IP addresses that were subscribed to Gallegos at his residence on the west side of Albuquerque were amongst the IP addresses identified by the investigation.
Gallegos also acknowledged that a forensic examination of his computer and computer-related media revealed thousands of images and videos of child pornography. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children determined that the child pornography images and videos found on Gallegos’ computers and computer-related media include 20 images of 15 children who have been identified as child pornography victims and have been rescued.
The case against Gallegos was investigated by the FBI, the NMSP, and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlyn E. Rees. 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 a 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.

Identity of Unknown Female Sought for Information Regarding a Suspected Child Sexual Predator

The FBI is continuing to seek the public’s assistance in an ongoing effort to learn the identity of an unidentified female linked to digital evidence in an ongoing investigation involving the sexual abuse of a minor, as well as the with the submission of photographs that may lead to the identity of the victim and/or the suspect, announced Bill Lewis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
On May 29, 2013, the FBI sought the public’s assistance with obtaining identifying information regarding two unidentified females; however, one of the women voluntarily contacted the FBI after local electronic and print media outlets reported the story. Agents have since interviewed that woman, and she was fully cooperative. Images that had been released to assist in her identification have been removed from the FBI’s website.
One of the two women originally sought, however, remains unidentified and, although not seen actively engaged in the abuse of a child, may be in a position to provide valuable details regarding the identity of the unknown child victim. Investigators believe the victim is currently enduring abuse by an unidentified male subject. Photographs of the male suspect are not available at this time.
Based upon newly obtained information uncovered during the ongoing investigation, investigators believe that the unidentified woman known as Jane Doe #26 may know or have association with the suspect, who is believed to be a white male, approximately 5’11” tall with a medium build, possibly between the ages of 40 and 50, with light hair, possibly reddish-blond or red. Investigators believe the unidentified male may also have information that would assist in the location of the child victim.
Forensic evidence yielded in this investigation indicates that the child victim may have been swimming at the Desert Hot Springs Spa & Hotel on the date of March 16, 2010. The FBI believes that anyone who may have been visiting the hotel pool on or around that date may have captured additional images of the child victim and/or accompanying adults in the background. Anyone in possession of pictures and/or video taken at the Desert Hot Springs Spa & Hotel pool on or about March 16, 2010, is asked to contact the FBI.
Based upon the previously released profile image of Jane Doe #26, the FBI’s Forensic Imaging Unit has created an artist composite of what Jane Doe’s full face may possibly look like. The FBI has added this image (also included in this release) to Jane Doe #26’s Internet poster, which may be viewed at http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap/unknown-individuals-2/view.
Jane Doe #26 is described as follows:
Race: Possibly Hispanic
Age: Likely between the ages of 25—35
Hair: Dark
Eyes: Brown

Once again, the FBI is seeking the public’s assistance in providing any information available regarding this unknown individual because it is believed that she has been in contact with the child victim. No charges have been filed in this case, and the individual pictured in the photographs being released is presumed innocent at this time.
Anyone with information should contact their local FBI office or call the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A tip may also be submitted online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
This effort is part of the FBI’s Rescue Me and Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives, both of which represent strategic partnerships between the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Rescue Me focuses on utilizing clues obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Doe) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association with child pornography images.
Since the inception of ECAP, 26 John/Jane Does have been investigated, 17 of whom have been successfully identified and subsequently arrested and/or prosecuted. These investigations have led to the identification of 29 child victims. To help locate current suspects, see the FBI’s ECAP webpage at http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap.