NEW ORLEANS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
RUSSELL DAVID MANSEL, 58, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court to felonies involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten today.
DAVID RUSSELL MANSEL pled guilty before U. S. District Judge Martin L. C. Feldman to Count 1 of the Indictment charging MANSEL with receipt of child pornography. MANSEL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment and a maximum of forty (40) years. In addition, MANSEL 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. MANSEL was previously convicted of five counts of Aggravated Sexual Battery of a child and one count of Aggravated Rape of a child on or about February 14, 1989, and, therefore, faces an enhanced sentence.
According to documents filed in federal court, on November 4, 2009, federal agents executed a federal search warrant at MANSEL’s Republic Street residence. At that time, MANSEL confessed to knowingly using his computer to search for, download, and save images of child pornography. MANSEL was found to be in possession of approximately 130 images depicting the sexual victimization of children.
MANSEL was subsequently arrested by Special Agents of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on a criminal complaint charging receipt of child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). MANSEL was detained by a United States Magistrate Judge where he has remained since his arrest.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for September 22, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., before U. S. District Judge Martin L. C. Feldman.
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 the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of 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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