U.S. Department
of Justice
Springfield Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Child Porn
Project Safe Childhood
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Benjamin Orona, 31, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 6, 2012, Orona pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
On June 27, 2011, the Missouri State Highway Patrol ran a routine criminal history check on Orona in connection with his employment at Prime Trucking in Springfield and his commercial driver’s license. This check revealed a felony arrest warrant out of Georgia for sexual exploitation of a minor. Orona was arrested on the outstanding warrant. Officers searched Orona’s hotel room and seized the computers and other items. A forensic review of the items was conducted and investigators discovered images and videos of child pornography. Orona used a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to download child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."