United States Attorney John M. Bales
Eastern District of Texas

GROVES, TEXAS MAN GUILTY OF POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

            BEAUMONT, TX – U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 56-year-old Groves, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

            CHESTER DRAKE pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Earl Hines.

            According to information presented in court, on Feb. 6, 2009, law enforcement agents executed a federal search warrant at Drake's residence, a travel trailer in groves, and seized six personal computers.  A forensic analysis of the computers revealed that one computer contained at least 600 images and movie files that constituted child pornography.  Drake was indicted by a federal grand jury on Mar. 18, 2009.

            This case is being 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.

            Drake faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  A sentencing date has not been set.

             This case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Beaumont Police Department's Digital Forensic Lab and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Rawls.

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