Citrus County Man Pleads Guilty To Distribution Of Child Pornography

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Alan Kenneth Thompson, Jr. (33, Crystal River) has pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography.  He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on or about June 2, 2015, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) determined that Thompson had been using a computer application to post and receive images of child pornography over the Internet. Agents tracked the activity to Thompson’s residence, executed a search warrant, and seized a cellphone and two laptop computers.  Forensics analyses confirmed that the devices contained more than 4,500 still images and 84 video files depicting child pornography. Thompson later admitted to the agents that he had been receiving child pornography, and that some of the victims were only four or five years old.   

This case was investigated by HSI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.