AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885

January 5, 2007

REISTERSTOWN MAN SENTENCED TO 4 YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

BALTIMORE, Maryland - George Alexander Riegel, age 21, of Reisterstown, Maryland, was sentenced today to four years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the statement of facts provided to the court as part of his October 2006 guilty plea, on September 19, 2005, an undercover agent from the Buffalo, New York Innocent Images Unit was investigating individuals involved in the transmission and/or receipt of child pornography. While in an internet chat room, the undercover agent received an e-mail that had a zip file attached containing two video clips depicting an adult male engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a young child. A review of the e-mail header indicated that the zip file was transmitted on September 19, 2005, from an individual using the screen name “CANISSAPIENSREX,” subsequently identified as Riegel’s screen name, to the person who had forwarded it to the undercover agent.

That same day, the undercover agent observed that Riegel, using the screen name “CANISSAPIENSREX,” was logged into the chat room. During an instant message session Reigel indicated to the undercover agent that he liked “preteen” images. Shortly thereafter, Riegel e-mailed the undercover agent a video file depicting a male and a prepubescent female engaging in sexually explicit conduct and minutes later, sent another e-mail attaching the file containing the two video clips described above. A search of Riegel’s home revealed between 20 and 150 additional images of child pornography on his computer.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Rosenstein also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Fortune, who prosecuted the case.