FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Lauren Horwood
May 24, 2011	PHONE: (916) 554-2706
www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae	usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov
Docket #: 2:10-cr-313-JAM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that Thomas Lee Neal, 42, of Roseville, was sentenced today by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to 10 years and three months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for receipt and possession of child pornography. Neal pleaded guilty to the charges on March 1, 2011.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the German Federal Police, Child Pornography Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel White prosecuted the case.

"While there is no way to undo the despicable crimes committed against innocent children, it is a relief that the defendant is no longer in a position to carry out his criminal acts," said Daniel Lane, assistant special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Sacramento. "We will continue to dedicate our resources to track down child predators wherever they are and bring them to justice."

According to court documents, in May 2009, German law enforcement identified Neal as an individual who had uploaded to a file-sharing website a child pornographic video in Roseville, Calif. When U.S. federal agents executed a search warrant at Neal's house, they seized computers that contained images of child pornography.

In sentencing, Judge Mendez said that the seriousness of Neal's conduct, his failure to seek treatment for his attraction to child pornography, and his failure to abide by the conditions of his pretrial release supported a sentence of 10 years and three months in prison.

This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice's ongoing Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched to increase federal prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number of Internet crimes against children including child pornography trafficking. As a part of PSC, the United States Attorney's Office has teamed with state and local agencies and organizations to increase law enforcement presence on the Internet, and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For additional information on the PSC initiative, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California and ask to speak with the PSC coordinator.

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