A Cape Canaveral man has been sentenced to a term of five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed handed down the sentence to William Alfred Harris, age 62, also imposing a hefty $250,000 fine and additional assessments amounting to $22,000.
Harris submitted his guilty plea on April 30, marking the end of an investigation that traced back to January of the previous year. Having been identified by the FBI as a downloader or recipient of illicit content on a file-sharing platform, in his Cape Canaveral residence, agents executed a search warrant in May 2023.
From the U.S. Department of Justice's announcement, we know the FBI's subsequent forensic examination of Harris's laptop yielded 21 images of CSAM, as well as the discovery of three file wipers and encryption software. The FBI had also downloaded multiple CSAM images and videos from Harris’s internet protocol (IP) address before the May 2023 raid.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman, who led the measures against Harris as part of Project Safe Childhood. This initiative, launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, has been steadfast in its mission to take down those who perpetuate the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. The court's decision to forfeit the device used by Harris in the commission of the offense underscores the seriousness with which such crimes are met.
Those seeking more insight into the efforts made under Project Safe Childhood can find information by visiting the DOJ website.
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