Swanton Man Indicted For Child Pornography Offenses

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Timothy Keevan, 48, of Swanton, Vermont, was charged in a single-count indictment with accessing images of child pornography with the intent to view them, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B).  Keevan pleaded not guilty to the charge when arraigned on September 24, 2013.  At that hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy denied the government’s motion for detention and released Keevan on conditions.

According to court records and proceedings, Keevan, an operations support technician with U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service who works in the shipping and receiving warehouse in St. Albans, Vermont, used a work-issued computer to access websites that displayed images of child pornography.  Keevan’s activities were discovered because his computer, like all government issued computers, was continually monitored for non-work related or other inappropriate activity.  The computer was confiscated and the images of child pornography were discovered on it.

If convicted of the child exploitation charge, Keevan faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of five (5) years, and up to a lifetime term, of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.  The actual sentence in the event of conviction would be determined by the court with reference to the advisory federal sentencing guidelines. United States Attorney Tristram J. Coffin stated that the indictment is an accusation only and that Keevan is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States Attorney Coffin commended the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory K. Null for the Northeast Region, the Vermont State Police, the United States Secret Service, and the Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in conducting the investigation of Keevan. 

The prosecution of Keevan is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Masterson.  Keevan is represented by David McColgin of the Federal Defender’s Office. 

U.S. Attorney Coffin noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice=s Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney=s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.projectsafechildhood.gov.