New Tazewell Resident Jerisen Amundsen Sentenced To 127 Months In Prison For Child Pornography Offenses

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.- On Jan. 7, 2016, Jerisen Lee Amundsen, 20, of New Tazewell, Tenn., was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, Chief U.S. District Judge, to serve 127 months in prison as a result of his conviction for distribution of child pornography.  Following his release from prison, Amundsen will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for life and will be required to register with the sex offender registry in any state in which he resides, works, or attends school.

Amundsen pleaded guilty in May 2015 to federal charges stemming from an international undercover investigation into trading child pornography on the Internet.  A federal search warrant was executed at Amundsen’s residence and a forensic examination of Amundsen's computer revealed that he had collected 1009 still images and 187 videos of child pornography, in addition to posting child pornography on the Internet.

Nancy Stallard Harr, Acting U.S. Attorney, emphasized the importance of pursuing child pornography offenders.  “The successful collaborative efforts of federal, state and law enforcement agencies in this investigation have resulted in this defendant no longer being able to circulate images and videos of the sexual abuse of children to others.  This sentence should send a message that the United States will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who choose to participate in the continued victimization of children, our most vulnerable members of society, through the circulation of child pornography on the Internet.”

This investigation was conducted locally by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Morris represented the United States.

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 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.

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