FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Friday, November 30, 2012
Docket #: 2:11-CR-0251 GEB

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — James Dombeck, 41, of Stockton, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to seven years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime period of supervised release, for downloading child pornography from the Internet, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Anyone having information about the case should contact the ICAC Task Force at (916) 874-3003. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.

According to Dombeck, in April 2011, law enforcement agents with the Sacramento Valley hi-Tech Crimes Task Force identified a computer at Dombeck’s residence offering files of child pornography through an Internet file-sharing network. Most of the images showed prepubescent girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

On June 2, 2011, law enforcement executed a search at Dombeck’s residence in Stockton and found an Apple desktop computer that belonged to Dombeck. Located in a lock box in Dombeck’s bedroom closet were several CDs that contained approximately 40 files showing minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Agents also seized a Gateway computer from Dombeck’s former room at his mother’s house that contained downloaded images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Also located during the search were hidden video cameras Dombeck had installed in his bathroom that he used to take secret recordings. Dombeck saved these recording on a Micro SD card that he kept in the lock box.

At sentencing, Judge Burrell noted two particular areas that concerned him. The first was Dombeck’s secret recordings. “I am mindful of the secret recordings … it evidences the extent of Dombeck’s interest in [deviant sexual] activity and causes concerns about recidivism,” said Judge Burrell.

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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.

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