A Metairie man has been sentenced to five years behind bars following a conviction for receiving child pornography, according to a recent announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Carson Riess, 41, was given this sentence on May 27, after his guilty plea was entered for the receipt of child sexual abuse material. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey, accompanied by a following 15 years of supervised release, as well as a monetary hit of $172,500 in restitution to the victims.
On May 20, 2024, law enforcement officers carried out a pair of federal search warrants at Riess's residence. A laptop containing reprehensible content was seized and subsequently led to Riess's arrest. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) spearheaded the operation, with assistance from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, uncovering images and videos of minors being sexually exploited. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Riess was ordered to also pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case falls under the Project Safe Childhood initiative, which the Department of Justice launched in May 2006. This initiative aims to address child exploitation by fostering collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies. Its objective is to combat internet-based crimes against children and facilitate victim rescue. The efforts of Project Safe Childhood in this case demonstrate its continued commitment to protecting children.
The collaboration between federal and local agencies in the prosecution of Riess has been commended. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the partnership, specifically acknowledging the dedication of Homeland Security and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit is responsible for the prosecutorial efforts. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and its mission, resources are available on its website, detailing the ongoing efforts to combat child exploitation.
