BIRMINGHAM - U.S. District Judge C. Lynwood Smith, Jr. today sentenced a 37-year-old Tuscaloosa man to 14 years in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance.

Judge Smith also ordered STEVEN PATRICK RIFFE to remain on supervised release for life after serving his prison sentence. Riffe also must register as a sex offender.

A federal grand jury indicted Riffe on the receiving and possessing child pornography counts in July 2009. Riffe pleaded guilty to the charges in September.

According to the indictment and other public documents, Riffe possessed child pornography on computers and computer disks between Jan. 8, 2009 and April 8, 2009. He used a file-sharing software program and possessed more than 7,000 child pornography images, according to a sentencing memorandum filed by the government. Some of the images Riffe possessed depicted the sadistic rape of children under 12 years old.

“It is hard to imagine the depraved nature that leads anyone to want to view such images of horror brought upon children,” said U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance. “Children must be protected from such abuse and degradation, and we will prosecute these cases with fervor.”

Vance applauded the work of the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, which led to Riffe’s prosecution.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Fortune prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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