Virginia Beach Man Sentenced to Seven-and-a-Half Years for Receiving Child Pornography

NORFOLK, Va. – David Beningo, 53, of Virginia Beach, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release for receipt of child pornography.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.

Beningo pleaded guilty on June 24, 2014.  According to court documents, Beningo, a retired Navy Chief, was a child pornography file sharer on a peer-to-peer network.  Agents were able to determine that someone using a particular internet protocol address was sharing files.  That online activity was then linked to Beningo’s residence.  Agents executed a search warrant on Beningo’s home and his computer equipment was seized and examined.  The hard drive contained more than 450 videos of child pornography including 4 videos which contained sadistic/masochistic depictions.  Beningo admitted to downloading images of child pornography and to using the peer-to-peer network.  He also acknowledged that the network required him to set up a shared folder from which others could download images.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Stoker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:14cr86.