Press Releases
HAMMOND MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
May 13, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JACOB C. WEIBELT, 26, of Hammond, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court to felonies involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten today.
JACOB C. WEIBELT pled guilty before U. S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to Count 1 of the Indictment charging WEIBELT with receipt of child pornography. WEIBELT faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment and a maximum of twenty (20) years. In addition, WEIBELT will be placed on supervised release for a period of not less than five (5) years and up to life and will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to documents filed in federal court, WEIBELT knowingly used his computer to search for, download, and save images of child pornography. WEIBELT was found to be in possession of approximately 7,700 images and videos depicting the sexual victimization of children.
WEIBELT was arrested January 20, 2009, by Special Agents of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on a criminal complaint charging receipt of child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). WEIBELT remains in federal custody.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for August 19, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. before U. S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier.
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by special agents from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
)
