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Press Release

Corpus Christi Man Convicted on Child Pornography Charge

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 46-year-old local man has entered a guilty plea to distribution of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.

 

Ronald Eugene Lowrey Jr. came to the attention of law enforcement when the Texas Attorney General’s Office conducted an investigation into a peer-to-peer file sharing network in 2014. Through that investigation, authorities identified a specific computer with suspected child pornography. Authorities later downloaded a total of eight such files that were being distributed via that device. The computer was later linked to Lowrey Jr. in Corpus Christi.

 

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence, at which time he admitted to using the file sharing program and to viewing child pornography.

 

A forensic examination of the items seized during execution of the search warrant revealed approximately 37 images and 246 videos of child pornography, including those that authorities had previously downloaded.

 

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos accepted the guilty plea today and set sentencing for Oct. 19, 2017. At that time, Lowrey faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Lowrey also faces a maximum of life on supervised released during which the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the Internet.

 

Lowrey was arrested on the federal charges in April 28, 2017, and has been in federal custody since that time where he will remain pending his sentencing hearing.

 

The Texas Attorney General’s Office, Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI conducted the investigation.

 

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elsa Salinas, 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."

Updated July 6, 2017

Topic
Project Safe Childhood