United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

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

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

DALLAS COUNTY MAN SENTENCED TO MORE THAN SIX YEARS
IN FEDERAL PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE, ON CHILD PORN CONVICTION

Defendant Had More than 1000 Images of Child Pornography

William Lynn Rawls of Cedar Hill, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. Senior District Judge Jerry Buchmeyer to 78 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Rawls pled guilty in October to one count of possession of child pornography in interstate commerce. Judge Buchmeyer ordered that Rawls surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on April 24, 2007.

The investigation began after Rawls’ co-workers at a mortgage company contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) when they determined that Rawls possessed a computer containing child pornography. On May 1, 2003, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Rawls' residence in Cedar Hill. During the execution of the search warrant, Rawls arrived home and spoke with agents. He admitted possessing child pornography and showed agents where he kept computer disks that contained hundreds of images of child pornography. Agents seized computer hard drives and more than 100 CD-Roms and floppy diskettes from Rawls’ home which were later determined to contain approximately 1000 images of child pornography.

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 U.S.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/.

U.S. Attorney Roper commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem.

# # #