Spokane Man Sentenced to Nineteen Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

Spokane – Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Michael James Alderman, age 42, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced after having previously plead guilty on July 31, 2015 to Possession of Child Pornography. Senior United States District Court Judge Justin L. Quackenbush sentenced Alderman to a nineteen year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 35 year term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. In addition, Alderman was ordered to forfeit to the United States the computer, tablet, and cell phone he used to receive and store his child pornography collection. Alderman will also be required to register as a sex offender.

According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, in January of 2015, while Alderman was on supervision as a prior sex offender, his Community Corrections Officer received information that Alderman was in possession of images of child pornography. Further investigation revealed that Alderman had child pornography on his computer tablet. Investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and federal search warrants for Alderman’s email accounts revealevd that Alderman had been using his email to receive and possess child pornography, which included prepubescent female children under the age of twelve.

Michael C. Ormsby stated, “This manner of victimization of children is thoroughly unacceptable and the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington is, and will continue to be, committed to prosecuting aggressively and seeking appropriate punishment for child pornography crimes. I commend the FBI and the Washington State Department of Corrections for their efforts in successfully investigating this case. This is yet another example of a child-pornography-offense that was investigated and prosecuted in this District.”

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington State Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant United States Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington.