Two Men Plead Guilty In Separate Cases For Crimes Involving The Sexual Victimization Of Children

U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite announced that yesterday, two men pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to charges involving the sexual victimization of children.

AUNG GAW, a/k/a Michael Gaw, age 26, of Fremont, California, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography.  According to court documents, beginning in December 2012, and continuing until May 2013, GAW conspired with Jonathan Johnson to produce sexually explicit videos of young boys.  On November 5, 2013, federal agents executed a federal search warrant at GAW’s Fremont, California residence.  GAW has been in custody since his arrest that day.

GAW faces a sentence of 15 to 30 years’ imprisonment, 5 years to life of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000.  In addition, he will have to register as a sex offender.  Sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2014.

Additionally, KIRK P. WEBER, age 54, of Reserve, Louisiana, pled guilty to one count of Distribution of Child Pornography.  According to court documents, from May 14, 2013, to October 24, 2013, WEBER knowingly distributed images depicting the sexual victimization of minors through the use of a popular social media site.  WEBER has been in federal custody since his February 7, 2014 arrest.

WEBER faces a sentence of 5 to 20 years’ imprisonment, 5 years to life of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000.  In addition, he will have to register as a sex offender.  Sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2014.

U.S. Attorney Polite stated, “These convictions, which carry significant mandatory minimum sentences, continue to demonstrate our Office’s commitment to protecting our young children from sexual exploitation.”

These cases were 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 United States 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The GAW matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  The WEBER matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations.  The prosecution of both cases is being handled by Fraud Section Chief and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.

(Download Gaw Factual Basis )

(Download Weber Factual Basis )