United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

ARLINGTON, TEXAS, MAN PLEADS GUILTY
TO FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGE

More Than 20,000 Images and Videos of Child Pornography Discovered

FORT WORTH, Texas — Christopher J. Abbate, 39, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge John McBryde to one count of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Abbate has been custody since his arrest on February 10, 2010, on charges outlined in a federal indictment. Abbate faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for September 24, 2010, before Judge McBryde.

According to the factual resume filed in the case, on July 30, 2009, Arlington Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Abbate’s residence in Arlington, Texas. During that search, agents encountered Abbate at the residence. A forensic examination of the computer and related storage media was performed and officers found images of child pornography on his computer hard drive. Multiple video clips and images of child pornography were located in the residence. Abbate admits that he knowingly acquired the child pornography from the Internet.

According to testimony at Abbate’s detention hearing on February 16, 2010, Abbate had downloaded child pornography to his computer as recently as the day before the search warrant was executed. A preliminary forensic exam revealed that more than 20,000 images of child pornography were discovered on computers and external storage media belonging to Abbate.

This matter was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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 via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/

The case is being investigated by Arlington Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex C. Lewis is in charge of the prosecution.

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