CINCINNATI – James R. Howard, 22, of Peebles, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 240 months in prison for possessing more than 2,400 images and videos of child pornography depicting violence against children under ten years old. He was also ordered to be under court supervision for the rest of his life.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Brian Moskowitz, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (HSI) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Ohio and Michigan, Adams County Sheriff K. R. Rogers and West Union Police Chief Roy Stricklett  announced the sentence handed down today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sandra S. Beckwith.

According to court documents, the West Union Police Department began investigating Howard following a complaint from a citizen and seized a laptop computer at Howard’s residence on November 15, 2011. Further investigation by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office discovered another laptop computer in Howard’s residence. Deputies seized the computer on November 28, 2011. Forensic analysis of the second computer by the Miami Valley Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory uncovered the cache of child porn images and videos.

Howard was arrested on December 2, 2011. He has been in custody since his arrest. Howard pleaded guilty on April 4, 2012 to one count of receipt of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography.

“Public awareness and communication with law enforcement is the most vital link in combatting sexual exploitation of children,” Stewart said. “I want to commend the prompt action by the West Chester Police and Sheriff Rogers’ Office.”

“Children who are sexually exploited either physically or through the dissemination of child pornography suffer immeasurable harm,” Moskowitz said. “While this significant sentence cannot repair the damage done, it should serve as a stark reminder that we are watching and the aggressive investigation and prosecution of child predators remains a high priority for HSI.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

 

 

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