Spokane, Washington Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography Images

SPOKANE, Wash. – Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Brian Frank Richardson, age 23, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced, after having previously pleaded guilty on July 14, 2014, to Distribution of Child Pornography. Senior United States District Court Judge Justin L. Quackenbush sentenced Richardson to a five year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a life term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. In addition, Richardson will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to court records, in February through September of 2013, Richardson used a peer to peer file sharing network on the Internet to distribute child pornography images. Some of the individuals Richardson distributed to were law enforcement officers, working online in an undercover capacity. As a result of Richardson’s distribution of child pornography images, investigation was conducted by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. In October of 2013, a federal search warrant was executed at Richardson’s residence in Spokane, Washington and Richardson’s laptop computer was seized. A forensic examination of the laptop revealed that Richardson was in possession of approximately 6,751 child pornography images.

Michael C. Ormsby said, “Safety of our children is paramount to safe communities. Therefore, prosecuting offenders who are distributing child pornography is a big 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 investigating, prosecuting, 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 Spokane County Sherriff’s Office and 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-14-00040-JLQ