New Orleans Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that DAVID MOREL, age 31, of New Orleans, was charged yesterday in a Bill of Information for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.

According to court records, on June 25, 2015, MOREL was charged as a result of a child exploitation investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office High Tech Crime Unit (“LAGO”).  According to court records, HSI and LAGO agents executed a search warrant at MOREL’s residence after determining MOREL was downloading images depicting the sexual victimization of children.

In 2010, MOREL was convicted in Orleans Parish Criminal Court of 536 counts of possession of pornography involving juveniles.  He received 10 years suspended and was sentenced to 5 years home incarceration.  MOREL was prohibited from using computers and the Internet.  MOREL was arrested by the LAGO on December 18, 2014, and is currently in state custody for a violation of his state probation.

Because of his prior state conviction for similar criminal conduct, MOREL faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum penalty of twenty years, followed by up to a lifetime term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

U. S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-HSI and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office High Tech Crime Unit in investigating this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Unit Chief, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.

David Morel Bill of Information.pdf (240.58 KB)