Omaha Man Sentenced For Receiving Child Pornography
Patrick K. Shannon, 28, was sentenced in the United States District Court in Omaha for receiving child pornography. The Honorable Lyle E. Strom sentenced Shannon to five years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison Shannon will begin a term of supervised release that will be in effect for life.
Agents of Homeland Securities Investigations executed a search warrant on a website known as Libera/morality.com. The website was hosting images of child pornography. Agents were able to determine the internet addresses of computers around the United States that had accessed this website. Leads were sent to local Homeland Securities Investigation Offices, including Nebraska.
On April 26, 2011, Nebraska agents of Homeland Security Investigations served a search warrant at Shannon’s residence. During an interview Shannon admitted to downloading and accessing a substantial amount of child pornography. Child pornography was found on his computer.
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.
