AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

AUGUST 16, 2007

VIRGINIA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TRANSPORTATION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

Photos Taken at his Virginia Home and Transported to His Work Computer in Maryland

Greenbelt, Maryland - Jack T. DuFrain, age 60, of Manassas, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to transportation of child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the plea agreement presented to the court, in June 2007, DuFrain’s employer in Maryland conducted an internal investigation of his company computer and discovered child pornography – consisting of still and video images – on Dufrain’s computer.

DuFrain’s computer contained more than ten video and still images that he recorded of a 12 year old girl engaging in simulated masturbation through her panties and digital photographs of her pubic area covered only by panties. The videos were recorded over a period of time dating back to 2005 in a shed located on his property in Virginia. The settings for the videos and still images are staged with makeshift backdrops consisting of what appear to be plastic shower curtains, sheets, tapestries, housing insulation with aluminum foil backing, and curtains. In the videos, DuFrain instructs the girl to pose certain ways and the girl also appears to be directed to change into different outfits. Some of the backdrops and outfits were seized during a search of DuFrain’s property on July 5, 2007. The images were placed on a thumb drive, which DuFrain then transported to his office in Maryland, where he downloaded them onto his work computer.

Also found on DuFrain’s work computer in Maryland were images of the 12 year old girl taken during the photo sessions which had been digitally altered to make them more sexually explicit. Additionally, digitally altered images involving 14-year-old girl, in which the girl’s face (taken from innocuous pictures) had been inserted into sexually explicit images of prepubescent females were also found on DuFrain’s work computer.

Authorities have identified the victim and taken steps to protect her.

DuFrain faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for November 2, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.

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 Attorneys’ 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 praised U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Sartori, who is prosecuting the case.