Dr. Andrew Sutton Distributed Child Pornography and Possessed Additional Pornographic Images on his Computers

ATLANTA, GA - DR. ANDREW SUTTON, 49, of Kennesaw, Georgia, was sentenced today before United States District Court Judge Richard W. Story to 8 years imprisonment for distribution of child pornography.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said: “The possession of sexually explicit images of children is a serious crime, but this defendant went beyond that when he distributed these images with the hope of receiving additional sexually explicit materials to add to his collection. We will continue to prosecute these cases and seek significant prison sentences in our effort to eliminate and end the distribution of these despicable images.”

“As parents we strive to maintain the safety and innocence of our children when utilizing the Internet. The U.S. Secret Service aggressively investigates online child pornography by working tirelessly with our local law enforcement partners to track down child predators that hide in the shadows of the World Wide Web,” said Reginald G. Moore, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Atlanta Field Office.

SUTTON was sentenced to 8 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system.  SUTTON pleaded guilty to the charge on December 20, 2011.

According to United States Attorney Yates and the information presented in court:  In May 2010, SUTTON, using his internet-connected computer, engaged in an online discussion with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as an adult female with two children.  During that discussion, SUTTON solicited naked photographs of those children.  SUTTON transmitted several images of child pornography to the undercover officer, and, using his web camera, transmitted his own image to the undercover officer.  Cobb County police subsequently executed a search warrant at SUTTON’s home and seized several computers and external data storage devices.  Law enforcement found additional images of child pornography on those computers and external data storage devices.  Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that SUTTON had distributed images of child pornography prior to May 2010 when he was caught by law enforcement.

This case is being prosecuted as a priority of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Cobb County Police Department and Special Agents of the United States Secret Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Jill E. Steinberg is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Information Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.

 

 

 

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