Springfield, Ill. – Kenneth G. Crissey, 50, whose last known address is the 100 block of South Bissell Street, Virden, Illinois, was sentenced today to a term of 17 years in prison for child pornography offenses. Crissey’s address at the time of indictment, on February 25, 2009, was listed as the 800 block of South English Street, Springfield, Illinois. U.S. District Judge Jeanne E. Scott also ordered Crissey to serve a lifetime term of supervised release upon his release from prison.

On April 15, 2009, Crissey entered pleas of guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography, on October 9, 2006, and on July 5, 2007, and one count of possession of child pornography on September 12, 2007. Crissey also agreed to forfeiture to the government of his computer and related equipment. On May 28, 2009, Crissey’s bond was revoked and U.S. Magistrate Judge Byron G. Cudmore ordered Crissey detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

The charges were investigated by the Central Illinois Child Exploitation Working Group based in Springfield, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Springfield Division, in coordination with ICE investigators based in Cleveland, Ohio; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Illinois Attorney General’s Office; and the Decatur Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson prosecuted the case.

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.