United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

TEXAS TECH STUDENT PLEADS
GUILTY TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGE

United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced that Jonathan Evan Luedke pled guilty today in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, before the Honorable Sam R. Cummings, United States District Judge, to one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B). Luedke, age 25, of Lubbock, has been on bond since he surrendered to federal authorities in Dallas in April on charges outlined in a federal criminal complaint. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

On April 17, 2006, a federal search warrant was executed at Luedke’s residence in Lubbock, while he was a student at Texas Tech University. Among the items seized pursuant to the search was a computer hard drive. A forensic examination of this computer hard drive revealed that Luedke had collected a number of images and videos of child pornography on his computer. In documents filed in Court, Luedke admitted that his offense involved 600 or more images of child pornography and that some of the material portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, or other depictions of violence involving a minor under the age of 12 years.

U.S. Attorney Roper commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lubbock Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven M. Sucsy, of the Lubbock, Texas, United States Attorney's Office.

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