BELLE CHASSE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
NICHOLAS BROEKMAN, 29, of Belle Chase, Louisiana, pled guilty today in federal court before U. S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to felonies involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten today.
According to documents filed in federal court, BROEKMAN knowingly used his computer to search for, download, and save images of child pornography. On June 25, 2009, federal agents with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s Belle Chasse home. Agents seized computer equipment and approximately 150 images of child pornography that were found hidden under BREOKMAN’s bed. During the search, BROEKMAN admitted to subscribing to child pornography websites since 2000. A subsequent computer forensic search of BROEKMAN’s computers revealed that he was in possession of approximately 1,500 images depicting the sexual victimization of children.
BROEKMAN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment and a maximum of twenty (20) years. In addition, BROEKMAN will be placed on supervised release for a period of not less than five (5) years and up to life and will be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for May 11,2010.
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 is being investigated by special agents from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
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