Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over Nine Years In Prison For Receiving Videos And Images Of Child Rape

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man has been sentenced to 112 months in prison for receiving and possessing over 200 images and videos of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.

 “Many of the images and videos possessed and shared by the defendant depicted child rape,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The images and videos were shared online through the use of a peer-to-peer network, which results in the re-victimization of the victims over and over again.”       

Gregory Akel, 31, was sentenced on Oct. 1, by Senior U.S. District Judge Lloyd D. George.  Akel was also placed on supervised release for the rest of his life and must pay $3,000 in restitution to one of the victims used in the pornographic images.  Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Akel will also be required to register as a sex offender where he lives, works, and goes to school.  Akel pleaded guilty in March to one count of receipt of child pornography.        

According to the court records, in March 2013, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigators working on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) determined that Las Vegas resident Akel was sharing child pornography on the file sharing network known as ARES. In August, investigators executed a search warrant at his apartment, and seized computers and equipment containing 39 images and 107 videos of child pornography.  In early 2014, Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations also determined that Akel was a source for child pornography on the ARES network, and that Akel had moved to a new residence in Las Vegas.  In April 2014, a search warrant was executed at Akel’s new residence, and investigators seized computers and other equipment containing more videos and images of child pornography.  Ultimately, investigators determined that Akel possessed a combined total of 149 videos and 54 images of child pornography as a result of both searches.  Some of the files depicted prepubescent children or children under the age of 12 crying and being raped.

The case was investigated by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Allison L. Herr of the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.

The case was 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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."