FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
SEPTEMBER 18, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HAGERSTOWN MAN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR
RECEIPT OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Mark Bartles, age 43, of Hagerstown, Maryland, today to five years in prison, followed by supervised release for his lifetime, for receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Judge Motz also ordered that upon his release from prison Bartles must register as a sex offender for 15 years.
According to court documents, in November of 2006, Bartles used Peer to Peer networking software to download and share images of child pornography. FBI agents from Florida and Louisiana were able to locate Bartles’ computer which connected to the Internet from his residence by tracking down his IP address. The FBI searched Bartles’ residence and seized a stack of computer print-outs of child pornography and his computer, which contained over 600 images of prepubescent children being sexually abused.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its investigative work in this case. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Gallagher, who prosecuted the case.