Clarkston Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography Images

SPOKANE – Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that George Edward Cupp, age 51, of Clarkson, Washington, was sentenced after having previously pleaded guilty on October 7, 2014 to Possession of Child Pornography Images. United States District Court Judge Stanley Allen Bastian sentenced Cupp to a ten year term of imprisonment and a life term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. In addition, Cupp will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to court records, in December of 2013, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children generated a CyberTipline report indicating that an individual, using a screen/user name of “georgecupp2013” had uploaded images of what appeared to be child pornography to the website Photobucket. Further investigation by the Asotin County Sherriff’s Office and Department of Homeland Security resulted in the execution of a search warrant for Cupp’s desktop computer and cellular phone. A forensic examination of Cupp’s digital devices discovered over 4,000 sexually explicit images, with children ranging from approximately six months of age to 16 years of age.

Michael C. Ormsby said, “I commend the Department of Homeland Security and Asotin County Sherriff’s Office for their outstanding investigation in this case. Prosecuting offenders who are distributing child pornography is a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington. This Office, together with its Federal and state law enforcement partners, is and will continue to be committed to prosecuting aggressively and seeking appropriate punishment for child pornography crimes.”

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States 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. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:

• Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
• Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
• Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
• Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
• Community awareness and educational programs.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and Asotin County Sherriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant United States Attorney and PSC Coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington.

CR-14-0089-SAB-1