United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

GREENVILLE, TEXAS, MAN CONVICTED OF TRANSPORTING, SHIPPING AND POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

Defendant Faces Up to 30 Years in Federal Prison

DALLAS — Steve Kelby Samples, 50, of Greenville, Texas, has been convicted on all charges in an indictment charging transporting, shipping and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle on December 18, 2008.

The charges against Samples stem from an undercover FBI agent downloading child pornography images from Samples’ computer using Limewire file-sharing software on September 6, 2006. On January 25, 2007, federal agents executed a search warrant at Samples’ residence in Greenville and seized a computer containing child pornography. Some of the images involved “real,” as opposed to virtual children.

Samples pled guilty to the possession charge last month and was convicted at trial last week on the transportation and shipping charge.

This case was brought as part of 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 FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem.

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