Garland, Texas, Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Federal Prison On Child Pornography Conviction

DALLAS — Christian James Gieseke, 39, was sentenced yesterday, by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle, to 20 years in federal prison to be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release.  Less than a week prior to the start of his trial last summer, Gieseke pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.  U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas made the announcement today.

According to the factual resume filed in the case, Gieseke admitted that on a date, sometime between September 1, 2010, and June 7, 2012, while at his Garland, Texas, residence, used a camera to produce images of Jane Doe 3 and/or Jane Doe 4 engaging in sexually explicit conduct while one or both was naked in the shower.  He further admitted that he knew they were minors.  He further admitted that he downloaded the images and viewed them on his laptop computer.

Gieseke also admitted that he produced, or attempted to produce, images and/or video of two other minor girls.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”      

The Garland Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa J. Miller and Leigha Simonton prosecuted.