Clearwater Man Sentenced For Possessing Over 50,000 Images Of Child Pornography

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. today sentenced Jonathan William Lauman (27, Clearwater) to eight years in federal prison for possessing and transporting child pornography. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervision and register as a sex offender following his release from prison. The Court also ordered him to pay restitution to several victims. Lauman pleaded guilty in February 2016.

According to court documents, Lauman downloaded and possessed more than 1,500 videos and over 50,000 images of young children, including infants, engaged in sexual acts with adults. The videos depicted, in part, sadistic and masochistic sexual abuse of children and infants. Lauman hoarded and transported these videos and images on his personal laptop. 

“Downloading sexually explicit images and videos of young children creates lifelong scars for victims and enables perpetrators around the globe to continuously exploit those same innocent youths,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Tampa. “HSI special agents will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target criminals who prey on the most vulnerable members of society.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Fiore.

This case was 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 (“CEOS”), 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.