Omaha Man Sentenced to 140 Months’ Imprisonment for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Donald R. Hamilton, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 8, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for receipt and distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hamilton to 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Hamilton will begin a 5-year term of supervised and will be required to register as a sex offender.

On several dates beginning in March 2021 and ending on August 29, 2021, an investigator with the Nebraska State Patrol was conducting an online investigation on a peer-to-peer file sharing network. The investigator identified a specific residential internet protocol (IP) address associated with unique file identifiers from known images of child pornography. The investigator was able to make a direct connection to the suspect’s IP address and was able to download files containing child pornography using investigative software. Further investigation revealed Hamilton was the suspect.

On September 28, 2021, the Nebraska State Patrol executed a search warrant at Hamilton’s residence on Read Street in Omaha.  During the forensic examination of Hamilton’s residence, the Nebraska State Patrol located evidence of the specific peer-to-peer client software on Hamilton’s device.

The files downloaded between March 27, 2021, and August 29, 2021, totaled 670 images and 25 videos. These 695 files included depictions of child pornography containing prepubescent children, adults having sex with children, and children being bound with ligatures.

Hamilton had been on pretrial release pending sentencing, but it was revoked on October 27, 2023, when the Court learned that Hamilton had attended a birthday party in the company of children in violation of his conditions of pretrial release. Hamilton failed to report the contact.

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.

This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.