Sex Offender Sentenced for Possessing More than 13,000 Images of Child Pornography

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A repeat sex offender has been sentenced for possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.

U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Joel Wesley Dillard, 47, of Morris, Alabama, to 189 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In June, Dillard pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.

According to the plea agreement, on June 24, 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) sent a tip to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s (GBI) cyber tip line. On June 15, 2022, Snapchat reported to NCMEC that Dillard had uploaded videos of child pornography to his account. During the investigation, the GBI determined that the IP address used to access Dillard’s accounts originated in Morris, Alabama, and subsequently transferred the case to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). ALEA executed a search warrant at Dillard’s residence, where agents seized 17 electronic devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed more than 13,000 images of child pornography.  Agents also discovered Telegram messages on Dillard’s cell phone, including a conversation in which he agreed to trade child pornography with other users.

If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The FBI investigated the case along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.