Registered sex offender sent to prison for child pornography

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old Orange Grove man has been ordered to federal prison after he admitted to receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Cameron Michael Pittman pleaded guilty Sept. 9.

Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton upwardly departed from the sentencing guidelines and ordered Pittman to serve a 204-month sentence. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including Pittman’s criminal history which detailed his prior conviction for indecency with a child. The court noted the guidelines did not adequately reflect Pittman’s character and history nor the seriousness of the offense. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the way Pittman’s actions have demonstrated his tendency to target children – the most vulnerable.

Pittman was further ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children. He was also again ordered to register as a sex offender

The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities that images of child pornography were being uploaded through an IP address originating in Orange Grove. The investigation led to Pittman as the one using the e-mail and IP address.

Law enforcement conducted a search, at which time they seized multiple electronic devices from Pittman’s residence. A forensic examination later revealed images and videos of child pornography.

Pittman admitted to receiving the images. The large majority of the images and videos located on Pittman’s devices depicted the sexual exploitation of children under the age of 10.

At the time of his arrest, he was a registered sex offender and on probation for the 2^nd degree felony offense of indecency with a child.

He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

The Corpus Christi Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Popejoy prosecuted the case which 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 PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.