Columbus Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Distributing Child Pornography

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Edward J. Johnson, age 41 of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced in the United States District Court in Omaha for the distribution and possession of child pornography.  The Honorable Laurie Smith Camp, Chief Judge, sentenced Johnson to 96 months imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  After his release from federal prison Johnson will begin a fifteen year term of supervised release.  Johnson will be required to register with the Sex Offender Registry upon release.

A public website reported that an Internet Protocol (IP) address in Columbus, Nebraska, had displayed two images of child pornography on the website.  An officer with the Nebraska State Patrol, acting in an undercover capacity and posing as a teenage girl, engaged in a series of chats with Johnson.  Johnson sent additional images of child pornography to the undercover officer on July 23, 2013. 

A search warrant was served on Johnson’s home in Columbus, Nebraska on August 27, 2013.  He admitted sending the images of child pornography to the undercover officer.  Forensic review of the computer revealed 200 videos of child pornography.  The images included bondage and prepubescent children involved in a variety of sexual acts with adults and other children.  

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s 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, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.