Oct. 4, 2011

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HOUSTON – A four‐count sealed indictment charging Douglas Bruce Parsons, 64, with possession, distribution and receipt of child pornography has been unsealed following his initial appearance in federal court in Houston, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.

A federal grand jury in Houston returned a four‐count sealed indictment on Sept. 28, 2011, charging Parsons, of Houston, with two counts of receiving child pornography and one count each of distributing and possessing child pornography. Parsons was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents on Oct. 3, 2011, and appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith for his initial appearance at which time the indictment was unsealed. Parsons was ordered temporarily detained pending a detention hearing this Thursday at 10:00 a.m. when the issue of bond will be determined.

Parsons is accused of receiving and distributing images containing child pornography via the Internet through a peer to peer network and possessing and retaining the images on a home computer and other storage devices in February and April of 2011. Parsons faces a sentence of no less than five years and a maximum of 20 years imprisonment if convicted of receiving or distribution of child pornography, while the possession of child pornography charge carries a maximum punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment. The charges are also punishable by maximum fines of $250,000 upon conviction. Additionally, each offense carries a maximum life term of supervised release during which the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children. A conviction for either of the counts charged mandates registration as a sex offender.

The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by HSI as part of Operation Predator. The prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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./

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Demetrius Bivins is prosecuting the case.