Recidivist Child Pornography Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison

OKLAHOMA CITY – PAUL FRANCIS HUDSON, 39, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography and for violating the terms of federal supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

According to public records, in August 2015, Hudson was sentenced to 86 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for receipt of child pornography in the Western District of Oklahoma case number CR-15-36-M. His supervised release was later revoked in March 2023 for, among other things, drug use and associating with felons. At that time, he was sentenced to nine additional months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Public records further reflect that, in February 2026, following his release from prison the second time, U.S. Probation officers discovered that Hudson had purchased an unauthorized phone in violation of the terms of his supervised release. On February 11, 2026, law enforcement seized the phone and discovered hundreds of images of child pornography.

On March 3, 2026, a federal grand jury charged Hudson with possession of child pornography. Hudson pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026, and admitted he knowingly possessed child pornography that he downloaded using a cell phone.

At a sentencing hearing on September 3, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Hudson to serve 180 months in federal prison: 120 months for possession of child pornography and 60 months for violating the terms of his supervised release by committing the new child pornography offense, to be served consecutively. Hudson was also ordered to pay $34,000 in restitution, split between 11 child victims who were depicted in images he possessed. In announcing the sentence, Judge Palk noted the grave impact that child pornography crimes have on victims depicted in child pornography. 

This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted this case as well as the 2015 case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.