Kennewick Man Sentenced To Twelve Years In Federal Prison For Distribution of Child Pornography

Spokane – Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Brandon Gregory Wilder, age 21, of Kennewick, Washington, was sentenced after having previously pleaded guilty on July 23, 2013 to Distribution of Child Pornography. United States District Court Judge Edward F. Shea sentenced Wilder to a twelve year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a life term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison.

According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, in March of 2012, the United States Secret Service conducted an online undercover investigation to identity those possessing and distributing child pornography on the Internet using peer to peer file sharing software. As a result of the investigation, on April 5, 2012, Secret Service agents executed a search warrant at Wilder's residence and located his computer, which was found to contain 237 videos and 64 still images of child pornography. Some of the videos depicted minors in bondage, and a number of the child pornography images were of children under the age of 12 years.

Michael C. Ormsby said, "The sentence imposed in this case reflects how serious the crime of distributing child pornography truly is. The United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Washington continues to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of child pornography crimes. I commend the United States Secret Service agents who aggressively investigated this case."

This case was pursued 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 child victims;
• 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 the United States Secret Service. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant United States Attorney and PSC Coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington.

CR-13-6008-EFS