Salem County Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Salem County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Rickie Wayne Patton, 43, of Pennsville, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On Feb. 10, 2020, a task force officer with the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force identified an IP Address that was sharing suspected child sexual abuse materials over a peer-to-peer file sharing network. From Feb. 10, 2020, to March 15, 2020, the officer downloaded several video files containing images of child sexual abuse from a computer at the same IP Address, which was then traced to Patton’s residence. Law enforcement officer executed a search warrant on May 19, 2020, and found laptop computers and digital storage media belonging to Patton. Forensic examination later confirmed those devices contained images of child sexual abuse. Patton admitted to possessing those devices and knowing they contained child sexual abuse materials during his guilty plea.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Patton to 10 years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency - Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Pennsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Spillman, and the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Kristin J. Telsey, for their assistance in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Johns of the Criminal Division in Camden.