Anchorage Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Crimes

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Cody James Cogley, 28, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to nine years in prison, followed by a 30-year term of supervised release, for two counts of possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, in October 2017, law enforcement received information that Cogley was distributing videos of child pornography through the internet.  Among the files distributed by Cogley through the file-sharing network was a video of a child performing a sexual act on an animal, a video of a naked three to five-year-old child suspended by her feet being sexually assaulted, and a video of a toddler being physically and sexually assaulted.

Law enforcement officers searched Cogley’s residence on Nov. 2, 2017.  Located on Cogley’s phone and computer were images and videos of child pornography, including additional images showing the sadistic abuse of small children.  Also located on Cogley’s computer, and open at the time of the search, was the Tor Browser.  The Tor Browser is used to access files on the Tor network, an encrypted, anonymous method of browsing the internet.  Open within the browser was a file titled, “The Pedophile’s Handbook.”  This file contained chapters about how to abduct and molest children.  Chapter titles included “Introduction, Pedophilia,” “Children,” “security,” “Finding Children,” “sex with Kids,” and “Penetration Training.”

During a statement to law enforcement at the time of the search, Cogley admitted to downloading images of child pornography.  Cogley admitted to first downloading child pornography when he was 13 years old.  Cogley said that his last search for child pornography was for files showing the abuse of toddlers, and admitted that his preferred age of children was “around 7, 7 and up.”

At sentencing, Judge Beistline noted Cogley’s “long history of viewing serious images.”  This history, according to Judge Beistline, “feeds the market for child pornography.”  In addition to noting the harm that came from Cogley’s downloading and viewing of images, Judge Beistline also stated that his sentence was necessary to protect the public and to deter Cogley and others like him.  Judge Beistline said that there was no direct evidence that Cogley had engaged in hands-on behavior, however, the handbook located on his computer was “evidence of a possible trend in that direction.”  “Clearly you are what we call a pedophile,” Judge Beistline told the defendant.  “You have a strong attraction to children, which places them at risk.”

The case was the product of an investigation by the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  Assistant U.S.  Attorney Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.