A Texas City man has been sentenced to federal prison for crimes involving child pornography and abuse. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, 34-year-old Anthony Joseph Kiamar received a concurrent sentence of 180 months for distribution and an additional 120 months for possession of child pornography, the terms of which will run concurrently.
Kiamar, who had previously pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2023, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown to pay $5,000 in restitution to a known victim and subjected to a decade of supervised release after his prison term. During the supervision period, he will face strict conditions restricting his access to children and the internet. Furthermore, he is required to register as sex offender. Homeland Security Investigations spearheaded the case with help from the Houston Police Department.
The disturbing investigation into Kiamar's activities began after he was found distributing child pornography through Facebook Messenger in 2019. A subsequent search of his electronic devices revealed 27 images and 44 videos showing sexual abuse of children, with some victims identified as young as three years of age. The forensic analysis also uncovered evidence of a prior indecent assault against a minor, leading to an earlier conviction on those charges.
Kiamar's prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide DOJ initiative started in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Lu prosecuted the case, which was a joint endeavor by both the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. For more information on Project Safe Childhood and internet safety, the DOJ's PSC page offers resources.
