Former Youth Director And Parish Outreach Coordinator Sentenced For Distribution Of Child Pornography

ATLANTA – Kevin Hickey, a former church youth director and Director of Parish Outreach for Life Teen International, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.

“This Defendant was entrusted with counseling and protecting children, but instead collected and distributed highly graphic images portraying their sexual exploitation and abuse” said United States Attorney Yates.  “We will to continue to aggressively prosecute those who pose such a great threat to our children.” 

“HSI puts special emphasis on investigating consumers of child pornography who have access to children through positions of trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Brock D. Nicholson, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Atlanta. “My special agents, our law enforcement partners and prosecutors at all levels are engaged in a relentless pursuit of child pornographers. By putting men like Kevin Hickey behind bars, I have no doubt that we are saving innocent children from the trauma of rape and exploitation.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the criminal indictment, and information presented in court:  Kevin Hickey was identified as an individual with a sexual interest in children and who collected and distributed child pornography.  In June 2013, Hickey, using his online screen name “funguyatl77,” engaged in an online communication, monitored by federal agents, in which he stated that he was watching “perving vids” and offered to share child pornography.  On June 3, 2013, Hickey transmitted a video showing two prepubescent males being sodomized by an adult male.  Hickey further displayed photographs of children he took surreptitiously in public places and was heard gratifying himself sexually during the online conversation.  A subsequent investigation by Homeland Security Investigations agents led them to Hickey and to Hickey’s home, where he maintained his computer and engaged in the collection and distribution of these pornographic images.  Thousands of images of child exploitation have been located on Hickey’s electronic devices.

Hickey, 39, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. to ten years in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release.  He was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment.  The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

This case is being 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Jill E. Steinberg is prosecuting the case.

For further information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.