FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTAUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

FEBRUARY 12, 2007

FORT WASHINGTON MAN SENTENCED FOR TRANSPORTATION AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

GREENBELT, Maryland - Douglas Charles Knight, age 48, of Fort Washington, Maryland, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release for transportation and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said, “Substantial sentences such as the one imposed on Mr. Knight send a clear message that it is a serious crime to collect photographs and video recordings that depict the sexual abuse of children."

According to the statement of facts presented at his November 27, 2006 guilty plea, Knight had been looking at child pornography since approximately 1998. He would search for child pornography by accessing Internet bulletin boards where users would post links to sites from which images of child pornography could be downloaded.

During the time that Douglas Knight accessed these sites, he viewed and downloaded images depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors, including minors under the age of 12. Knight collected more than 600 images of child pornography. Some of those images depicted children and prepubescent minors engaged in sadomasochistic conduct, including a video which depicts a prepubescent female with her legs bound and an adult male engaged in sexual intercourse with her.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the investigative work performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David I. Salem, who is prosecuting the case.