Delaware Repeat Offender Sentenced to 15 Years In Prison For Receiving Child Pornography

WILMINGTON, Del. – A Delaware man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison for receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Charles M. Oberly III of the District of Delaware.

Eric Aldrich, 25, of Milford, Delaware, previously pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Leonard P. Stark of the District of Delaware presided over today’s sentencing.

At sentencing, the court found that Aldrich has a prior conviction in Delaware for dealing in child pornography and as part of his federal offense, he possessed over 600 images of child pornography, including material involving prepubescent minors and sadistic or masochistic conduct.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Delaware Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case.  Trial Attorney Leslie Williams Fisher of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski of the District of Delaware prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 www.justice.gov/psc.