Sex offender convicted of sharing child pornography in two states

HOUSTON – A 43-year-old registered sex offender has admitted to distributing and possessing child pornography in two separate federal cases, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Timothy Lee Tyler, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography in 2020 and to possessing child pornography in both 2019 and 2020.

As part of his plea, Tyler admitted he was staying with friends in Conroe in September 2020. During that time, he started distributing child pornography from his cellphone on the Kik messenger app. When Tyler was arrested, his cellphone contained hundreds of images and videos depicting bestiality, bondage and sexual abuse of children. Tyler also admitted to possessing hundreds of child pornography files on a flash drive while residing in Milwaukee in June 2019.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen will impose sentence Dec. 19. At that time, Tyler faces up to 40 years on the distribution of child pornography charge and up to 20 years for each conviction of possessing child pornography. Additionally, each charge is punishable by a $250,000 fine and mandatory restitution.

Tyler, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will remain in custody pending sentencing.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Montgomery County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Conroe Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Sherri Zack are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.