Jacksonville, Florida - United States District Judge Brian J. Davis yesterday sentenced Robert Earl Rice (48, Neptune Beach) to seven years and six months in federal prison for transporting and possessing child pornography, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Rice pleaded guilty on June 24, 2015.
According to court records, Rice used his email address to trade and receive videos of child pornography. He admitted to viewing and collecting child pornography from 2012 until April 2014, and he also admitted to using search terms to find child pornography on the Internet.
“Crimes against our children are deplorable and HSI special agents will not rest until these criminals are brought to justice," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
It is another case 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 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.justice.gov/psc.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
