FRESNO, Calif. - Ralph Dale Shepherd, 58, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2014, Shepherd was found to have possessed within his cellphone between 300 and 600 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images also involved the portrayal of sadistic, masochistic, and other depictions of violence, and included depictions of pre-pubescent minors.
“We are gratified by the sentence imposed which will provide some measure of justice," said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge for HSI San Francisco. “Together, with our local law enforcement partners, we will continue to put predators behind bars and continue our efforts to create a safer community for our children."
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bakersfield Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney Brian W. Enos prosecuted the case.
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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources" tab for information about Internet safety education.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
