York County Man Sentenced To Twenty Years For Receipt Of Child Pornography

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a York County man was sentenced today to twenty years in prison for receipt of child pornography.

     In November, a federal jury convicted Lawrence B. Blevins, Jr., age 44, West Manchester, Pennsylvania, of downloading child pornography from the internet. At sentencing today in Harrisburg Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner noted Blevins’ previous conviction for indecent assault and his false testimony at trial as factors at sentencing.

     According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the case arose from an investigation by West Manchester Township Police into a network of individuals who shared child pornography over the internet.  In December 2011, a search warrant was executed at Blevins’ residence and recovered multiple computers and external storage devices from his room.  Police found over a half million images of child pornography and hundreds of videos. Blevins was arrested and charged by local officials. On September 26, 2012, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Blevins with possession of child pornography.

     “Blevins’ 20-year sentence again underscores HSI’s determination to track down child predators and bring them to justice ,” said Philadelphia acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. “The immense amount of images and videos recovered by law enforcement during this investigation underscores the fact that possession and distribution of despicable images of child pornography is not a victimless crime. Our children are re-victimized every time a child predator views and shares these images.”

     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." 

     This investigation was conducted by West Manchester Township Police Department, the Northern York Regional Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant Unites States Attorney Michael A. Consiglio.