A Winter Park man has been given a sentence of more than five years in federal prison for receiving child sex abuse images. As per a judgment handed down by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron, 35-year-old Kevin Thompson will serve five years and six months for his crime after pleading guilty this past July.
The investigation that led to Thompson's downfall was initiated with an undercover FBI agent identifying an internet protocol (IP) address sharing files categorized as child sex abuse material. This probe quickly implicated Thompson and led agents to his residence. In the execution of a search warrant at Thompson's home, officials unearthed scores of files on his smartphone that depicted sexual abuse of children. When interviewed by the FBI, Thompson conceded to utilizing his phone to download and view the objectionable content, a habit he had nurtured for around 14 years.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida detailed in a statement that the case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
This case is another instance in the ongoing efforts of Project Safe Childhood. Since its inception in May 2006, the Department of Justice initiative has been vigilant, working alongside U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section to tackle the burgeoning crisis of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program aims to pull together federal, state, and local resources to track, arrest, and bring to justice those who exploit children sexually and to ensure that victims are identified and rescued. Those looking for more information about Project Safe Childhood can find it on the Department of Justice website.
