A Las Vegas man with a history of child pornography convictions has once again been found guilty on charges related to the possession and receipt of illicit material. Leonard Shove, who was already under federal supervised release, now faces a substantial increase in his time behind bars.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Shove was found guilty on Monday following a one-day bench trial. United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva presided over the proceedings which saw Shove convicted for one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. Evidence presented at the trial indicated that on June 12, 2023, Shove was found in possession of a cell phone holding numerous images and videos deemed as child pornography.
The discovery was made during a routine check by the U.S. Probation Office, as per the terms of Shove's release, leading to the FBI taking over the investigation. With multiple prior offenses of a similar nature, Shove is looking at a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, with the potential for up to 40 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for September 22.
The prosecution was supported by a joint effort between the FBI and Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. Individuals with information regarding the exploitation of children are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. The case against Shove was initially brought forward by Trial Attorney Supriya Prasad, resulting in the current convictions.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafik Mattar of the FBI Las Vegas Division announced these developments. The FBI's investigation received assistance from the U.S. Probation Office, and Assistant United States Attorneys Jean Ripley and Daniel Schiess managed the prosecution.
