FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               CONTACT:  DAVILYN WALSTON
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009                                     PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/txe                         PHONE: (409) 839-2538 CELL: (409) 553-9881

BEAUMONT MAN SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY VIOLATIONS

            BEAUMONT, TX – United States Attorney Rebecca A. Gregory announced today that a 42-year-old Beaumont, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

            ERIC WAYNE AUSTIN pleaded guilty on May 28, 2008, to possession of child pornography and was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Ron Clark.

            According to information presented in court, on Dec. 7, 2007, a federal search warrant was executed at Austin's Beaumont residence during which, five computers and hard drives were seized.  Forensic analysis of the computer equipment revealed material containing child pornography.  Austin was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 6, 2008.

            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.

            This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Rawls. 

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