HOUSTON - Charles Wright, 59, of Houston, was ordered to serve 20 years in federal prison following his convictions of distribution and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Wright was convicted Feb. 6, 2013, by a federal jury on both counts as charged.
Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt, who presided over the trial, ordered Wright into custody for 210 and 30 months, respectively, for the distribution and possession charges. The sentences are to be served consecutively for a total of 240 months in federal prison. The issue of restitution for known victims will be decided at a separate hearing on or before Nov. 18, 2013. He was further ordered to serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of the prison term and will have to register as a sex offender.
These charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Innocent Images Task Force which revealed Wright was making child pornography available to others through the use of Peer to Peer software over the Internet. A task force officer from the Houston Police Department downloaded images of child pornography from the files Wright was making available online. These images included children under 12 being sexually violated by adults and in positions which caused their genitalia to be displayed in a lewd/lascivious manner.
A search warrant was executed on Sept. 14, 2011, at which time computer media including external hard drives were seized. The examination of the computer revealed more than 250 digital images and approximately 53 videos which contained child pornography.
Wright has been in state custody since his arrest on similar state charges on Sept. 14, 2011, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri L. Zack who was assisted at trial by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Stabe.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
