FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885  

JANUARY 10, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md                                        

LAUREL MAN SENTENCED TO 70 MONTHS
FOR RECEIVING AND POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

GREENBELT, Maryland - United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announces that today U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Harvey S. Hull, age 58, of Laurel, Maryland to 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release in connection with his guilty plea in July, 2005 to receiving and possessing child pornography.

According to the statement of facts presented at his guilty plea, while attempting to repair Hull’s computer, a technician saw a significant number of thumbnail images that appeared to be sexually explicit images of minors along with images of adult pornography. The technician opened a few of these files which contained pictures of what appeared to be nude minor females with their genitals exposed. Some of the minor females appeared as if they wanted to cry. A subsequent search of the computer by the FBI revealed several images that were consistent with child pornography. The FBI executed a search warrant at Hull’s residence in February 2005. Numerous additional images of child pornography were identified on Hull’s home computer and numerous cd-roms were seized from his home.

Hull used “newsgroups” on the Internet to obtain child pornography. FBI agents have identified as many as 150 images on Hull’s computer involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, a number of which involved a prepubescent minor, or that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. All of the images had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce by means of a computer.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their investigative work performed in this case. Mr. Rosenstein also praised Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Wilkinson, who prosecuted the case.