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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, January 18, 2007

FUQUAY-VARINA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGE IN FEDERAL COURT

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced today that BRIAN FREDERIC DELUCA, 55 years old of 601 Three Meadows Road, Fuquay-Varina, N. C., pled guilty before United States District Judge James C. Fox, to a single count of receipt of child pornography over the Internet in violation of Title 18 of the United States Code, §2552(a)(2). DELUCA, previously worked for the Duke University Campus Police as a logistics and training assistant for the Duke Campus Police. He was not employed as a Police Officer, but a trainer for the Duke University Campus Police.

DELUCA was detected as part of a nationwide operation by ICE known as Operation Emissary. Operation Emissary was developed to deal with a commercial website selling access to child pornography. Through the Internet, ICE agents were able to identify subscribers to the site nationwide. DELUCA was a subscriber.

United States Attorney Holding stated, “My office will continue to do everything in our power to protect the children of our district from predators both on the streets and in cyberspace.”

DELUCA will be sentenced on April 9, 2007 before Judge Fox. He faces a minimum of 5 years and up to a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

This case is part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program announced by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, ICE, and the Wake County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U. S. Attorney Jay Exum handled the case for the Government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.