Spokane - Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Joseph Preble, age 19, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced, after having previously pled guilty on June 19, 2015 to Receipt of Child Pornography. Senior United States District Court Judge Justin L. Quackenbush sentenced Preble to a five year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a twenty year term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. In addition, Preble was ordered to forfeit to the United States the computer he used to receive and store his child pornography collection. Preble will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, between October and November of 2014 Preble uploaded 60 images of child pornography, depicting four different minor female victims, to a foreign photo sharing website. Investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations Child Exploitation Unit resulted in the execution of a federal search warrant at Preble’s home in Spokane, Washington in December of 2014, at which time Preble’s computers and other electronic media were seized. A forensic examination of Preble’s computer revealed that he had received and was in possession of eleven child pornography image files and fifty-two child pornography video files. Some of the child pornography images were of children who had not attained the age of 12 years and some portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct.
Michael C. Ormsby stated, “This case is another example of the outstanding efforts of the Homeland Security Investigations’ commitment to investigating child pornography crimes. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington prosecutes aggressively and seeks appropriate punishment for such crimes."
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States 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. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC") has five major components:
· Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child
exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
· Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
· Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
· Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
· Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister, an Assistant United States Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the Eastern District of Washington.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
