COVINGTON MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
JAMES A. WALKER, JR., 70, of Covington, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today to felonies before U. S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, WALKER admitted he knowingly subscribed to a child pornography website and as a result received and possessed digital images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. Federal agents from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, determined that WALKER was using his computer to acquire child pornography. On May 14, 2009, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations seized two personal computers and three hard drives that were used by WALKER to acquire and store images of child pornography and subsequent investigation revealed WALKER to be in possession of approximately 170 images depicting the sexual victimization of children.
WALKER faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment. In addition, WALKER 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 March 23, 2011. The defendant has been in federal custody since he was indicted on May 21, 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 the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
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