Crowley man pleads guilty to possessing child pornography on electronic devices

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Crowley man pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing sexually explicit images of juveniles. 

Kenneth Poullard, 43, of Crowley, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of possessing child pornography. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents learned that Poullard was downloading child pornography to electronic devices in his home. Agents searched his home on March 13, 2014 and found a desktop computer containing 50 images of child pornography. Poullard, who was present at the time of the search, admitted to intentionally searching for and downloading images and video of child pornography.

Poullard faces up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, registration as a sex offender and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for February 12 2019.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.           

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.  Tips may be submitted anonymously.

Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana Attorney General’s Office High Technology Crime Unit conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting the case.